Warriors' Gary Payton: Hopeful to return during road trip

Payton (calf) said that he's hopeful to return at some point during the Warriors' four-game road trip, which began Thursday in Detroit and runs through Wednesday at Minnesota, Danny Emerman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.

Payton missed his eighth straight game in Thursday's 107-104 win over the Pistons, but he's due to be re-evaluated this weekend and could get the green light to play next week if the Warriors' training staff is satisfied with how he's been recovering from a left calf strain. Once healthy, the 32-year-old will likely fill a 10-to-15-minute-per-game role off the Golden State bench.