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Houston Rockets rookie point guard Gary Payton II is reportedly set to have surgery for a sports hernia in the near future.

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Payton's Status Uncertain With Surgery Looming

Tuesday, July 12

Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com reported Tuesday the undrafted free-agent addition is expected to undergo a procedure to repair the problem within the "next couple of days."

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle noted the ailment will prevent Payton from taking part in any more NBA Summer League action.

It's unclear at this stage when Payton could return to the floor or if the injury could impact his availability for the start of Houston's training camp. No official timetable was announced.

The Oregon State product appeared in two summer-league games before the setback. He averaged 4.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while logging 17 minutes per contest. He also made two of his four attempts from beyond the arc.

He told Watkins he was already starting to feel more comfortable after Sunday's game, a victory over the Sacramento Kings: "In the first game, I had to get it under my belt, get a feel for it and know I got to run a team. I was more focused on running the team, making sure guys were in spots and came out aggressive and take early shots penetrate and look for mine, and that’s what I did in the second game."

The Rockets will likely split his minutes among several players during the remaining portion of the summer league. Isaiah Taylor, Trey Freeman and Kenny Gaines could all see a minor uptick in playing time running the offense.

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As for Payton, the timing of the injury is unfortunate since he was trying to prove he could handle a key reserve role behind Patrick Beverley. Now, his outlook heading into the season is a bit murky as he prepares for surgery and the recovery process that follows.