Warriors get devastating Gary Payton II injury update to add to bumpy start to season

The Golden State Warriors, at 8-10, are generating some of the most interesting storylines and discussions in the early NBA season, but none that the Warriors would like to be involved in.

Draymond Green's antics continue to be of note, earning him a suspension. Klay Thompson's free agency is fully in-view. Andrew Wiggins is reportedly angering people inside the organization after showing up out of shape to start the year.

Gary Payton II injury

Now, add to that an injury to a key bench player. Gary Payton II will be out indefinitely with a calf tear according to Shams Charania. He sustained the injury in Tuesday night's game against the Spurs, which the Warriors won.

Payton has averaged 5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 17.3 minutes per game off the bench this year. His defensive intensity is a much-appreciated and impactful off-the-bench feature, especially alongside Chris Paul. No Warriors player has posted a better defensive box plus-minus than Payton's 2.4 this season thus far.

Torn calf recovery timeline

The recovery timeline for a calf tear is completely dependent on the severity of the injury and whether or not Payton needs surgery. The Mayo Clinic notes that the recovery can be anywhere from a few weeks to months, but indicates that surgery is more likely for those looking to get back to competitive sports. One would think that projects the timeline closer to months than weeks.