Inside The Warriors

Josh Hart Defends Trail Blazers Amid Gary Payton II Controversy

New York Knicks G/F Josh Hart had something to say about the Portland Trail Blazers

Joey Linn

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The Portland Trail Blazers may be facing disciplinary action for failing to disclose relevant medical information to the Golden State Warriors on the health status of Gary Payton II. It is still to be determined whether or not the NBA will find the Trail Blazers guilty of that accusation, but the Warriors are pursuing that outcome, as they feel Payton's injury was in some way misrepresented or hidden.

Recently traded from the Trail Blazers to the New York Knicks, Josh Hart took time at the end of his postgame media session on Saturday night to defend the Blazers as an organization.

"Portland as an organization was great, Joe Cronin has been great," Hart said. "That organization is nothing but a class act. In the front office, in the training room. And I just want to say that that organization is respectful, a class act and does everything by the book."

It will be very interesting to see what comes of this entire situation, as it was recently announced that the Warriors will indeed go through with the Gary Payton II trade. Several reports have indicated that the Warriors are very unhappy with Portland and their handling of Payton, which is understandable considering they just traded for a player who is now expected to be unavailable for multiple months.

The Warriors and Trail Blazers will now have to wait and see what comes of this situation, but former Blazers player Josh Hart defended the organization amid this current controversy.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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