Massive argument breaks out between Warriors' $37,756,096 guard and Gary Payton II as Dennis Schroder steps in to neutralize flaring tension

Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Buddy Hield and defensive guard Gary Payton II engaged in a heated dispute during Wednesday's road matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Amid the duo's prolonged disagreement, their veteran teammate Dennis Schroder stepped in, seemingly attempting to diffuse the tension.

After a promising start to the season, Golden State has trended downward. It entered Wednesday having lost four of its last five games, with a meager 7-17 record since Nov. 23.

Similarly, Hield, who signed a four-year, $37,756,096 contract over the offseason, has dropped off following his impressive early season production. Across his last 11 outings entering Wednesday, he shot just 31.2% and 25.0% from 3-point range.

The Warriors started strong against Minnesota, obtaining a 47-31 advantage. Nevertheless, midway through the second quarter, Hield and Payton engaged in a fiery dispute, with Schroder walking between them to intervene.

It's unclear what was said during the lengthy exchange. However, Golden State fan @GSWarriorsHouse on X/Twitter pointed out that Payton rarely vents frustration.

"Never seen GP2 mad in my life," @GSWarriorsHouse wrote.

Hield has been the subject of criticism for his shot selection in recent days. During Monday's 104-101 road loss to the Toronto Raptors, the nine-year veteran airballed a deep game-tying 3-point attempt with time winding down.

However, following the loss, Kerr defended Hield against his detractors, noting that he wanted him to keep shooting. The veteran coach added that he would give Hield time to work through his struggles.

"I trust him," Kerr said (Timestamp: 0:17). "I put him in the last play because I believe that he's always gonna make the next shot.

"He gives us spacing. Even when he's not making shots, he gives us spacing. People respect him, they guard him, and he opens up the floor. So, I'm gonna keep playing him and I'm gonna keep trusting him."

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Warriors hang on for 1-point victory following Buddy Hield's dispute with Gary Payton II

While Golden State faced internal friction early against Minnesota, it hung on for a 116-115 road victory after leading by as many as 24 points.

Warriors superstar point guard Steph Curry led the way with a game-high 31-point performance. However, Buddy Hield also broke out of his shooting slump. He tallied 18 points and three triples, shooting 54.5% as his team snapped a two-game losing skid.

So, Hield and Gary Payton II's disagreement seemingly didn't significantly affect the middling squad (20-20) looking to gain ground in the deep Western Conference.

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