The Warriors are apparently escalating their grievance against the Portland Trail Blazers regarding the stalled trade involving guard Gary Payton II.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Warriors have officially filed a complaint against Portland over Payton's health status.
The trade has been in limbo for several days after a Warriors team doctor reportedly found Payton to have a lingering abdominal injury that could sideline him for several months.
The NBA is investigating whether the Blazers misled the Warriors about the severity of the injury, per Charania.
The deal must be completed or called off by 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Payton was set to return to Golden State as part of a four-team swap that would see former No. 2 overall draft pick James Wiseman sent to the Pistons. The Atlanta Hawks would receive Saddiq Bey from Detroit, while Kevin Knox would go from Detroit to Portland.
Instead, the fates of all players involved remain up in the air amid the uncertainty.
Payton, a second-generation player who was a key contributor off the bench for the Dubs team that won the NBA title last season, signed with Portland during the offseason on a three-year contract in free agency.
However, his Blazers debut was delayed until January following offseason surgery to repair a core muscle injury. He has seen limited action upon returning, averaging 17 minutes per game in 15 appearances (1 start).
The reacquisition of Payton was meant to help shore up a Warriors second unit that has regressed sharply compared to last season.
On Friday, Warriors reporter Anthony Slater of The Athletic revealed that the Warriors are "pretty upset" over the episode during an appearance on 95.7 The Game's "Damon & Ratto."
While the trade signaled that the Warriors had officially given up on Wiseman, "undoing" the deal would create awkward situations for players returning to the teams that had seemingly dealt them, according to Slater.
LISTEN NOW on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram