[Friedell] Gary Payton II says he would request a trade to the Seattle SuperSonics if they come back, and hopes to keep playing long enough to make that happen
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7081942/2026/03/06/gary-payton-sonics-seattle-nba-expansion/
Gary Payton II doesn’t even let the question finish before he starts giving his answer.
The Golden State Warriors guard is the son of Hall of Famer Gary Payton, who played 12 1⁄2 seasons for the Seattle SuperSonics before the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 and became one of the most respected guards in NBA history. Payton II, now a trusted veteran on the Warriors’ 2022 title team, grew up in Seattle and spent his childhood summers in Oakland.
So as speculation swirls about NBA expansion and bringing the Sonics back to Seattle, Payton II’s answer about bringing a team back to his second home was immediate.
“Request a trade to Seattle,” Payton II recently told The Athletic. “Probably.”
He (probably) isn’t kidding. The love for Seattle and the Sonics is still in his heart.
“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,” he added.