Filling Gary Payton II’s shoes was always going to be extremely hard — and, to be quite honest, damn near impossible.
Payton II was a diamond in the rough. It was a travesty for NBA teams to not take notice of him and keep them on their roster, considering that his skill set is what multiple teams value.
To say that Payton II is an excellent defender is underselling him. He’s a bonafide elite perimeter stopper who — despite his small 6’3” stature — could also switch up the positional spectrum in a pinch.
He plays bigger than his position on offense, as well.