The New Orleans Pelicans are bring 30-year-old point guard Elfrid Payton to training camp, per ESPN’s Andrew Lopez.
Payton, an eight-year NBA veteran, was a high school standout at John Ehret in Jefferson Parish. His links to Louisiana don’t stop there, as he was born in Gretna, a city less than 15 minutes away from New Orleans.
Elfrid Payton has agreed to a training camp deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN.
Payton, an Ehret graduate and Gretna native, last played in the NBA in 2022. The 30-year-old played one season with the Pelicans in 2018-19.
Payton is represented by @_tandemse.
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) September 19, 2024
He’ll now get a chance to play for a team that needed a lot of help at point guard last season. In fact, if he sticks with the team into the 2024-25 regular season, it’ll be his second time playing for New Orleans. Payton suited up for the Pelicans in 2018-19, the franchise’s last season with Anthony Davis, after signing a one-year contract.
Pelicans Sign Elfrid Payton Ahead Of Training Camp
Payton’s signing comes as a surprise, as he hasn’t played in the NBA since 2021-22.
Since then, he’s primarily played in the G League, suiting up for the Indiana Mad Ants (formerly the Fort Wayne Mad Ants). In 28 games with the Mad Ants, he averaged 10.9 points, 8.3 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. In 2022-23, he played for Osos de Manati in Puerto Rico’s BSN. Playing just five games, Payton averaged 15.0 points, 7.4 assists, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per contest.
As a former top-10 draft pick, Payton’s last three years have put him in bust conversations. However, it’s not an accurate depiction of his career.
Payton was drafted in 2014, prior to the 3-Point Boom. At the time, his struggles to score from beyond the arc were noted, but not limiting enough to ignore his two-way playmaking. A floor general with a knack for pickpocketing opposing ball-handlers, he was actually highly valued. That’s reflected in him being drafted 10th overall despite shooting 26.8 percent from 3 in college.
At the start of his NBA career, his 3-point percentage still wasn’t too problematic. He even came in fourth in Rookie of the Year voting while only converting 26.2 percent of his long bombs. However, the Golden State Warriors soon began to separate themselves with their 3-point shooting. In what’s known to be a copycat league, their opponents followed suit. Eventually, that made Payton’s jumper —or lack of a consistent one —a hindrance.
Will The Pelicans Keep Him?
It’s a testament to Payton’s basketball IQ, passing ability, and perimeter defense that he started 396 of 452 games (playoffs included) between 2014-15 and 2020-21. Despite not being a modern point guard, coaches didn’t want to keep him off the floor. He won’t be in the Pelicans’ first unit next season even if he makes the team; their starting backcourt is set. Nonetheless, he’d arguably be their best facilitator and on-ball defender, even with Dejounte Murray now in the fold.
