The Golden State Warriors are set to complete a four-team trade that will see them complete the move for guard Gary Payton II and three more players; James Wiseman from the Detroit Pistons, Saddiq Bey from the Atlanta Falcons, and Kevin Knox from the Portland Trail Blazers.
While Payton had previously begun his physical with the Warriors, the team decided to halt the trade after team doctors expressed concerns over Payton’s injured abdomen. The Warriors have since committed to waiting for an NBA inquiry into Portland’s alleged failure to divulge necessary pre-agreement medical information.
Should any findings of wrongdoing be made, the Trail Blazers could face the loss of draft picks as well as fines relating to the package of five second-round picks that the Warriors traded to the Blazers to acquire Payton.
In addition to the abdomen injury, the Trail Blazers did not disclose to the Warriors that Payton had been taking painkilling medication in order to allow him to play this season. The trade could not be amended, however, as the trade deadline had already passed by the time such discoveries were made.
