{"id":150990,"date":"2025-07-18T14:21:29","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T18:21:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=150990"},"modified":"2025-07-18T14:26:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T18:26:24","slug":"lakers-free-agency-gary-payton-ii-rumors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/07\/18\/lakers-free-agency-gary-payton-ii-rumors\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Could Steal Defensive Ace with Ties to NBA Royalty"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Lakers<\/a> look to round out their roster with defensive-minded perimeter players, one insider says they\u2019re monitoring a veteran guard who meets their criteria and has a history with the organization.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lakers Could Steal Defensive Ace with Ties to NBA Royalty<\/b><\/h2>\n

Gary Payton II \u201cVery Much\u201d on Lakers Radar<\/b><\/h3>\n

In a Thursday night post on X, ClutchPoints\u2019 Anthony Irwin wrote that the Lakers are keeping tabs on free agent guard <\/span>Gary Payton II<\/span><\/a>, the son of the nine-time All-Star and Hall of Fame point guard who won an NBA title with the Heat in 2006. The elder <\/span>Payton<\/span><\/a> also played for the Lakers during their 2004 Finals run alongside <\/span>Kobe Bryant<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Shaquille O\u2019Neal<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Derek Fisher<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Karl Malone<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The link between GP2 and the Lakers began not long after he <\/span>signed with Bill Duffy<\/span><\/a> of WME Sports, the same agent who represents three current Lakers: <\/span>Luka Doncic<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Deandre Ayton<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Jaxson Hayes<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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There were some whispers connecting Gary Payton II to the Lakers even before he signed with Bill Duffy. I can safely say he's very much on the Lakers' radar.<\/p>\n

— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) July 18, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n