Bucks waive Jones to clear spot for Payton II
Gary Payton II will sign a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks for the rest of the season, a league source said Saturday. Payton will fill the 15th roster spot after the Bucks waived forward Terrence Jones on Saturday. Payton is expected to sign on Sunday.
Payton II is the son of Hall of Famer Gary Payton, a nine-time NBA allstar and nine-time all-NBA defensive firstteam selection. The 24year-old Payton has been playing this season for Rio Grande Valley in the NBA Development League.
Payton II was not selected in the 2016 NBA draft after playing his final two college seasons at Oregon State. He was with the Houston Rockets during training camp but was released by the Rockets before the regular season started.
In 49 games with Rio Grande Valley, Payton II averaged 14.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
He scored 51 points in a D-League game this season but is known more for his defense than his offense.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd is close with Gary Payton, and both grew up as talented point guards from Oakland, Calif. Payton was nicknamed “The Glove” and starred for the Seattle SuperSonics before joining the Bucks in a trade late in the 2002’03 season.
Payton played only 28 regular-season games for Milwaukee after being acquired in a trade for Ray Allen, while Allen went on to star for Seattle and later win two NBA championships, one with Boston and one with Miami.