Payton shares his joy as Santos secures a significant extension.
Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II could not contain his excitement after teammate Gui Santos agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract extension on Saturday.
The deal, which includes a player option for 2028-29, keeps the 23-year-old Brazilian forward in a Warriors uniform through at least the 2027-28 season and removes any questions about his future heading into the offseason.
After Golden State's 129-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on Saturday night, Payton was asked about Santos' new deal and delivered one of the most genuine reactions of the night.
It was clear how much the extension meant to him, having watched Santos grow from a raw second-round pick into one of the team's most reliable contributors.
"I do not have the words for that. Just smiles, happy, long overdue," Payton said. "He's one of those connector guys that you need on a team to keep everything flowing, in order. I can't express how excited, and proud, and deserving that is for my dog Gui."
Santos Earns His Place in Golden State
Santos has been one of the best stories in the NBA this season.
His rise from the 55th overall pick in the 2022 draft to a full-time starter has been remarkable, picking up speed after Jimmy Butler went down with a torn ACL in late January.
Since stepping into the starting lineup, Santos has scored in double figures in 12 of his last 13 games while averaging 15.0 points on 58.8 percent shooting along with 5.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists during that stretch.
On the season, Santos is averaging 6.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from three across 49 games.
"Happy for Gui, and happy for us," Kerr said. "He's become one of our most important players. We're all just so thrilled for him."
Payton's Impact Despite the Loss
Even though the Warriors fell to the Lakers in lopsided fashion on Saturday, Payton was one of the few bright spots for Golden State.
He finished with 12 points, marking his seventh game in double figures over his last nine outings.
On the season, the 33-year-old veteran is averaging 5.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 53.2 percent from the floor in 50 games.
Payton's value has always gone beyond the box score, though.
He remains one of the league's best perimeter defenders and his ability to guard multiple positions while keeping the team connected on both ends of the floor is something that does not show up in traditional stats.
His comments about Santos being a "connector" carry extra weight coming from a player who fills that exact same role for the Warriors every night.
The Warriors dropped to 31-29 on the season with the loss, placing them eighth in the Western Conference, while the Lakers improved to 35-24.
Golden State has been shorthanded with Stephen Curry missing his 10th straight game due to a knee injury and Kristaps Porzingis sitting out with an illness.
Santos scored 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting in the loss, continuing his strong play even on a tough night.
With his extension now official, the Warriors have locked in one of the league's best value contracts and can shift their focus toward a second-half push knowing Santos will be part of the plan for years to come.