The Warriors have been battered! Payton Jr. suffered a torn thumb ligament and was sidelined indefinitely for re-evaluation a week later

On March 28, Beijing time, according to a report by Shams, Warriors guard Payton Jr. suffered a torn thumb ligament in his left hand and will be suspended indefinitely, which dealt a heavy blow to the Warriors' rotation lineup. Warriors officials then issued an announcement confirming Payton Jr.'s injury and said he would be reevaluated in a week's time.

Payton Jr. was injured in the Warriors' loss to the Heat. After treatment and rehabilitation, Payton's recovery from a torn ligament after the initial week was largely dependent on how well he tolerated the pain, the source said. Payton Jr. wore a brace on his left hand today and used his right hand to do throwing drills.

Payton has played in 58 games this season, the second-most in a single season of his career. Towards the end of the regular season, the all-around wing's playing time steadily increased. This month, he averaged 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 21 minutes per game. Overall, the veteran guard has played in 58 games this season, his highest number of appearances since the 2021-2022 season, averaging 6.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.8 steals in 14.9 minutes per game.

With the playoffs approaching, the Warriors will have to deal with the game without a key player in the rotation. Currently, the Warriors sit in 7th place in the West, tied with the Clippers in 6th place (41-31). The Timberwolves are a close second with a 41-32 record.

The 32-year-old Payton will become a full free agent in the offseason. In his absence, the Warriors could rely more on Santos and Spencer. In any case, his overall contribution to the team is hard to replace.