Gary Payton II re-signed with the Warriors for 2025-26 and spent the summer focused on body maintenance and strength work. He praised Steph Curry's continued evolution and discussed integrating Jonathan Kuminga and Jimmy Butler into the offense, while emphasizing how he and Buddy lift the locker room's energy daily.
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Gary, I don't know if this is going to be considered crazy, but we know it took some time. Probably had known for a while that you were coming back, but just what was it like to kind of wait it out to get to this point where you're officially signing?
Oh, it was great. Spent some time with my family, my friends. Took my mind off a lot and just enjoyed the summer and got myself ready to, you know, come back and do it for year 2.
Did you consider other options at any point? Like, could there have been a time when you did not re-sign with the Warriors?
Nah, it would have been hard, but, you know, there's always different scenarios and stuff. So thank God that didn't come about. So that's why we're here. Don't make it too easy on me.
From a basketball perspective, what was your offseason like? And while you were a free agent, were you able to work out and spend some time with the guys recently?
I didn't get to spend some times with the guys, but I did work out and still, you know, do what I did normal offseason, continue to get better, continue to work on little things. So yeah, it was pretty much a normal offseason for me. Did a lot of traveling though.
What were some of those little things that were focal points?
Just continuing to take care of the body, strengthen the body, just be available, continue to be available. Had a pretty good season last year being available. So just to build on that and, you know, just keep adding armor to the body. Gary, this may be crazy, but I'm going to ask it anyway. How challenging would it be for you guys to welcome Jonathan back to the equation given how contentious this offseason has been? I don't see no problem in it. You know, get back and get to practice, get back to what he's doing. I don't see anything different. What you eating over there?
Sorry. Sorry to interrupt my breakfast here. Hi, Gary. How are you?
What's up? How you doing?
Good. You've obviously been very accomplished at playing alongside Steph. It's been well documented. We've talked about it many times. What do you see in his game and his habits? I mean, he's going into his 17th season now. To be doing, playing the way he is at this age, how do you see sort of the evolution of his game in the last few years and what do you expect going forward?
Since one, you know, it's just, he's just grown, He got better and better and better. I'm sure he's going to be better this year. Just the way he approaches his off-season, approaches taking care of his body, doing little things, tweaking little things just to, you know, make him stronger and, you know, give him the advantage as he already has a lot of advantage over most of the league. So I'm sure he did what he needed to do this year to come back. I know he's, you know, getting to that, that cusp of, you know, deciding on if he wants to keep going or not. So if he, I know if he does, he's going to put everything he has into it off season. So I know he's ready and ready to go and built for 82. So, you know, excited to be with him and excited to keep doing what we've been doing.
Is that the biggest thing you've noticed the last, say, 5 years, his strength?
Absolutely. It seems like, you know, he's putting on mass every year. So he looks a little bit bigger now. So I know he's ready to go. So, you know, just get all the troops around him and, you know, get ready.
Gary, would you—
over here.
What'd you learn about Jimmy last year and what can you guys build off of having an entire training camp, preseason, et cetera, with him now?
Oh, it's huge. You know what he does, you know what he demands. You know, it's easy to play with him, just similar to Steph. You know, he's got to have 2 on him, of course, on the post. So just make it easier for him, find open space, give him outlets. And if he doesn't, you know, let him work and do what he does on the block and play from there.
Gary, which of your teammates do you think would excel in your skateboard league?
Which teammate would be a good skater? Surprisingly, I would probably go Pat Spencer. I feel like Pat just has that swag, you know, he can really do anything. Pat, I believe Pat and maybe Jimmy's kind of on the heavier side of a skateboard, but I feel like Jimmy can surprise a lot of people.
Can we pick a non-white guy?
I said Jimmy.
That's crazy.
All right, let me pick another one. Let me see. Shout out Jimmy though. God. I'mma go, oh, Melt for sure. Wait. Goddamn. You tricked me. This is crazy. This is crazy. I'mma go Draymond. Always go Dre. Help him teach him things. It's crazy. It be your own people.
Hey Gary, I'm Francis. I'm new to ABC, new to the Bay Area. I'm that person in the newsroom when I walk in, I try to lift the energy up. I can sense you're that person.
Hey.
Is that who you are in the locker room or is that someone else? Who would that person be?
What was your name again?
Francis, like San Francisco.
Hi Francis, I'm Gary. Absolutely. You know, me and Buddy kind of bring the energy, you know, start the day off, say good morning, get everybody going. You never know, people go through things. So show them a smile, you might get one back. And you know, that actually is more contagious than what you think. So, you know, just smile, be a good person, have a good time.
