As a defensive powerhouse but lacking in defensive ability, the Warriors still have faith in his abilities?

In the previous NBA regular season, the Orlando Magic defeated the Golden State Warriors 121-113 at home. After this game, the Magic, who had won 4 of the last 5 games, improved their record to 8-7, and their ranking rose to 9th in the Eastern Conference; while the Warriors, who ended their 3-game winning streak, saw their record drop to 9-7, and their ranking fell to 8th in the Western Conference.

In this game, the performance of the Warriors' backup perimeter defender Gary Payton II was a mess. Payton Jr. played 10 minutes and 15 seconds, made 2 of 3 shots, scored 4 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, and had 2 fouls. The plus-minus value was as low as -15, the lowest in the game. Payton Jr.'s contribution on the offensive end is still relatively limited, and he really does not have the ability to provide more support for the team. The most important thing is that Payton Jr.'s performance on the defensive end is also a mess. As a defensive gatekeeper, his contribution on the defensive end is also very limited, and he cannot provide basic support to the team. At least in this game, Payton Jr.'s performance on both offense and defense was very disappointing, and it did not have any effect. It is no exaggeration to say that if Payton's playing time can be slightly less, maybe the situation of the game will change.

In the NBA regular season last season, Payton Jr. played 62 times for the Warriors in 82 games, averaging 15 minutes per game. He averaged 6.5 points, 3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. He also had 0.6 turnovers and 1.7 fouls. He shot 57.4% from the field, 32.6% from the three-point range, and 71.1% from the free throw line. In the playoffs, Payton Jr. played a total of 11 times, averaging 16.4 minutes per game. He averaged 4.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals per game. He also had 0.5 turnovers and 1.9 fouls. He shot 44.7% from the field and 39.1% from the three-point range. Since the start of this season, Payton Jr. has played a total of 15 times in the first 16 games, averaging 9.9 minutes per game. He averages 2.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. He also has 0.5 turnovers and 1.2 fouls. He shoots 43.6% from the field and 18.8% from the three-point range.

Payton Jr.'s overall performance this season is very unsatisfactory. He has almost no threat from beyond the three-point line, and his three-point shooting rate is already appalling. Not only that, due to the decline in athletic ability, his contribution on the defensive end has also dropped a lot, and it is difficult for him to maintain high-intensity defense. Judging from the actual situation, Payton Jr. can basically only have a negative impact on the team on the court, but head coach Steve Kerr still recognizes his abilities very much and often gives him a lot of playing time and performance opportunities. It's so uncomfortable to use, why is Cole still unwilling to give up Payton?