One Portland Trail Blazers player does not sound all that surprised about the current saga involving Gary Payton II.
Reports broke on Friday that a four-team trade slated to send the veteran guard Payton from the Blazers to the Golden State Warriors was in serious jeopardy over Payton’s physical. The Warriors reportedly discovered that Payton had a core muscle injury which could sideline him for up to three months. Payton underwent core surgery over the summer and missed the first 35 games of the season before returning in early January.
The report also contained allegations that the Blazers’ medical staff had been giving Payton pain-killing injections of Toradol and were pushing him to play through the injury. Portland head coach Chauncey Billups responded to those allegations on Friday.
Later on Friday, Blazers swingman Justise Winslow posted a curious tweet. With no caption, he tweeted the famous meme of Kermit sipping on tea. The meme is effectively a way of saying, “but that’s none of my business” while also indicating that one knows more than what they are revealing.
— Justise Winslow (@IAmJustise) February 11, 2023
Winslow, 26, is in his second season with the Blazers, having been acquired last year in a trade with the LA Clippers. He has only played in 29 games this season (and none since late December) due to an ankle injury. Winslow also missed time for Portland last season with Achilles and calf issues.
While it is unclear what exactly Winslow was hinting at with that tweet, it certainly makes for interesting timing. When it comes to Payton however, it is possible that the Warriors and Blazers merely have a difference in opinion when it comes to the severity of Payton’s injury. But the Warriors clearly feel that the Blazers were not negotiating in good faith and now have the option to rescind the entire four-team trade altogether.
