How Badly Do the Trail Blazers Need Gary Payton II?

Your favorite Portland Trail Blazers podcast is back, and so is Marlow Ferguson, Jr.! After a one-week weather delay, the “Marlow” half of “Dave and Marlow” returns, joining Dave Deckard in an energetic debate over the current state of the Blazers.

Two topics predominate this week.

First, would you trade Blazers guard Anfernee Simons and/or center Jusuf Nurkic if the right deal came up? And what would that “right deal” look like? Marlow throws out a name or two and the two agree on the one player who would absolutely move the needle for both, even throwing in draft picks besides.

Second, Dave and Marlow make an extended run at the Gary Payton II situation. He’s expected back soon after recovering from abdominal surgery, but whispers, rumors, and a couple outright statements about his approach have started to surface. Who is Gary Payton II and what does he bring to the table that Portland doesn’t get otherwise? Why did the Blazers sign him? How badly do they need him? And most of all, is it time to shuffle Payton’s return to a back-burner priority, in effect giving up on him and going with what the Blazers have already?

The podcast also features more trade talk, thoughts from Portland’s loss to the Denver Nuggets and victory over the Charlotte Hornets, and more other topics than you can shake a stick at.

You can subscribe to the podcast or download this episode here, or just hit play on the embed below!

Enjoy!