Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II suffered a fractured left elbow in the team’s second-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, but Payton could still return next round, head coach Steve Kerr said.
Payton sustained the injury on May 3 and was given a three-to-five-week return timetable.
“We’re not ruling him out of the whole conference finals,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “We’re not saying he’s going to play either.”
Payton has served as a key cog in the Warriors’ rotation this season. In 71 games, he averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals, playing 17.6 minutes per contest.
Payton received his first career playoff start in the game he was injured. The Warriors assigned him to be Ja Morant‘s primary defender, but Payton suffered the injury less than three minutes into the contest.
The Warriors will open their next series against the Phoenix Suns or Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. If Phoenix advances, Golden State will start on the road, but if Dallas advances, the team will start its series at home.
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