Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II has expressed a strong desire to join the Seattle SuperSonics if the NBA expands the franchise back to the city. The 33-year-old, son of Hall of Famer Gary Payton, grew up around the original Sonics and sees playing there as a dream come true. He shared these sentiments in a recent interview with The Athletic.
Gary Payton II, a trusted veteran on the Golden State Warriors' 2022 championship team, was quick to affirm his interest in playing for a revived Seattle SuperSonics franchise. Raised in Seattle where his father, Hall of Famer Gary Payton, spent 12 and a half seasons before the team's relocation to Oklahoma City in 2008, Payton II holds deep ties to the city. He spent childhood summers in Oakland but considers Seattle a second home.
In an interview with The Athletic, Payton II stated, “Request a trade to Seattle. Probably.” He added, “Respectfully. I love it here so much. But if we do (have a Seattle team) when I’m still here, I definitely want to go back and play there.” Payton II confirmed that while he and his father have not discussed it explicitly, his dad knows he would want to play there “absolutely.”
Payton II reminisced about childhood memories at KeyArena, including practices and pregames with players like Vince Carter, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett. He described the Sonics' significance to Seattle: “Everything. It’s one of the sports that they took away that they were passionate about.” The city has rallied behind its NHL Kraken and MLS Sounders teams, and Payton II believes fans would show similar support for basketball's return.
He highlighted Seattle's basketball legacy, mentioning greats like his father, Shawn Kemp, Detlef Schrempf, and Hersey Hawkins, who led strong teams in the 1990s. Payton II, who became an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season, views a Sonics return as beneficial for the city's basketball culture and the NBA overall. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver indicated a decision on expansion could come in 2026.