{"id":749,"date":"2022-07-01T04:40:46","date_gmt":"2022-07-01T04:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/trail-blazers-might-be-chasing-gary-payton-ii-bruce-brown\/"},"modified":"2022-07-01T04:40:46","modified_gmt":"2022-07-01T04:40:46","slug":"trail-blazers-might-be-chasing-gary-payton-ii-bruce-brown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/trail-blazers-might-be-chasing-gary-payton-ii-bruce-brown\/","title":{"rendered":"Trail Blazers Might Be Chasing Gary Payton II, Bruce Brown"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly offered Gary Payton II a contract of around $8 million a year in NBA free agency. The rumor was tweeted by Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer<\/a>who said the Blazers also might be chasing Brooklyn Nets wing Bruce Brown. <\/p>\n

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Gary Payton II has drawn a strong offer from the Trail Blazers among other suitors, sources said. I’m told Portland has the richest contract, roughly $8M, out to the versatile defender, but still mutual interest in Payton’s return to Golden State. Bruce Brown another POR target.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

While the report suggests that the 6’3 Payton still has interest in returning to the championship-winning Golden State Warriors, the Blazers offer appears to be the strongest among their competitors. <\/p>\n

The offer would take up the majority of the Blazers’ non-taxpayer mid-level exception. <\/p>\n

The Warriors currently own the 29-year-old’s \u201cNon-Bird\u201d Rights, meaning they can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him. He earned $1.9 million last year.<\/p>\n

The second-generation NBA champion enjoyed a breakout season with the Warriors after bouncing around the NBA and G-League since going undrafted in 2016. He averaged 7.1 points with 35% three-point shooting to go with 3.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game, while playing lockdown defense. <\/p>\n

Payton II also hit 15 points and recorded 3 steals against the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, a series the Warriors won. <\/p>\n

Fischer also mentioned Brooklyn Nets wing Bruce Brown, Jr. as a potential Portland target. The 6’4, 25-year-old wing played in 72 games for the Nets last season, starting 45. He scored 9.0 points in 24.6 minutes per game, shooting 50.6% from the floor, 40.4% from the three-point arc. Brown made $4.7 million last season and is an unrestricted free agent this summer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n