The Golden State Warriors are banking on a familiar setup from the 2025-26 NBA season, bringing back members of the old guard. First came the return of Draymond Green on a new deal, and now Gary Payton II‘s return to the franchise has been confirmed. However, the roster moves do not end there, as the Warriors also hold interest in Kelly Olynyk.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, signing Payton brings the Warriors to 13 players under standard deals, leaving the team roughly $6 million below the second apron hard cap.
The Warriors have been eyeing extra backcourt help and are also interested in Kelly Olynyk. Additionally, the team is considering combo guard Brandon Williams and guard Gabe Vincent to fill its final three roster spots.
What Olynyk brings to the table
Olynyk is a veteran stretch-five who would seemingly replace departed restricted free agent Quinten Post, who signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Grizzlies that includes multiple team options.
Gary Payton II #0 of the Golden State Warriors
In his prime, Olynyk‘s size, shooting, and passing abilities seemed like an excellent fit alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green, but at age 35, it is unclear whether he has enough left in the tank to make a major impact.
Last season, Olynyk played just 8.6 minutes per game across 42 contests, averaging 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 25.5% from three with the NBA Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs.
However, he was much more productive the prior season with the Pelicans and Raptors. He played 20.3 minutes per game, averaging 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while making 41.8% of his three-point attempts.
