Gary Payton II DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Toronto Raptors. Payton is dealing with left knee soreness and it appears to be significant enough to hold him out of this contest. Normally, the absence of Payton wouldn't mean too much, but the 32-year-old has been playing 20 minutes or more in six of his last seven games. The expectation is that Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield will absorb the extra minutes. Both are worth a look as streaming options, but Podziemski is probably the choice between the two.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Gary Payton II (knee) has been tagged as questionable for Thursday's encounter with the Toronto Raptors. He is battling soreness in his left knee. If he is not cleared to play, Payton II will miss his second game of the month. Golden State has used Payton II more often in March, as the veteran has averaged 21.6 minutes per game. He has shown off some outstanding shooting form, nailing 62.7 percent of his attempts from the field to average 12.3 points with 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals. Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield will likely get more work off the bench if Payton II is ruled out on Thursday.

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Gary Payton II (leg) is a late scratch for Thursday's matchup against the Houston Rockets. He didn't appear on the initial injury report before the team ruled Payton II out due to a right peroneal contusion. With Payton II's absence, Golden State loses one of its best defenders, but the late change in the lineup will not have any significant circumstances in fantasy basketball.