Report: Blazers deal G Gary Payton II back to Warriors

Guard Gary Payton II will return to the Bay Area six months after leaving the Golden State Warriors and signing a multi-year free agency contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.Payton was traded to the Blazers for five second-round draught selections immediately before Thursday's trade deadline. The Detroit Pistons, who will send Kevin Knox to the Trail Blazers, were apparently also a part of the transaction.After undergoing offseason surgery to repair a core muscle, Payton, 30, played just 15 games for the Trail Blazers. He played 17.0 minutes per game, with 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.Payton suffered a broken left elbow in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies last year, in addition to muscle and ligament damage. He was supposed to be out for a month, but he came back to play in five of the NBA Finals, which helped the Warriors win the championship.The Warriors, who are 28-27 and in ninth place in the Western Conference, have had a difficult time defending their championship this year. Both clubs now qualified for the playoffs play-in tournament, but the Blazers start play on Thursday in 10th position with a game disadvantage.In the Blazers' 125-122 victory over the Warriors on Wednesday, Payton started for Portland and finished with nine points in 22 minutes.In 157 career games (40 starts), Payton has averaged 5.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists for the Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Warriors, and Blazers.Knox, 23, has played 42 games (one as a starter) for the Pistons this year, averaging 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. In 254 career games (62 starts) across five seasons with the New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Pistons, he has averaged 7.4 points and 2.9 rebounds.On Thursday, the Hawks allegedly sent the Warriors five second-round selections in return for the player Saddiq Bey, who they had earlier acquired from the Pistons in exchange for big James Wiseman.