Dario Saric is adjusting to life with the Golden State Warriors and is making friends with his new teammates.
One of those teammates, Gary Payton II, has made a very strong impression on Saric.
Speaking about Payton on Thursday, Saric called him “probably one of the best defensive players [who] ever played.”
According to a video shared by NBC Sports, he went on to call him “the kind of guy who can avoid screens, who can be really present on the ball, who can be active on the ball.”
Dario says GP2 is one of the best defenders he has ever played with 🤝 pic.twitter.com/LgITZdYtul
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 27, 2023
Saric is playing his first season with the Warriors after spending years with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
As for Payton, he returned to the Warriors after some brief time away with the Portland Trail Blazers at the start of last season.
During his years in the league, Saric has established himself as a smart big man who is capable of playing impressive defense.
As for Payton, he is a bit smaller than Saric but still plays defense with a lot of drive and commitment.
These two players are just some of the bench talent that head coach Steve Kerr will turn to this season.
On Tuesday night, both Saric and Payton got limited time on the court.
Saric played for 20 minutes and scored 7 points and 7 rebounds, and Payton played for 21 minutes and earned just 1 point and 2 rebounds.
Payton has been having some trouble over the last season because of injuries and is hoping to be fully healed and productive again in 2023-24.
Now more than ever, the Warriors need a deep bench that is capable of pushing the team across the finish line.
Payton has impressed Saric and now it’s time that they both impress the fans.
NEXT: Steve Kerr Gets Honest On Chris Paul's Impact On Warriors
