Tag: elfrid payton

Knicks re-sign Elfrid Payton

The New York Knicks have re-signed guard Elfrid Payton.

The team waived Payton recently, but have now brought him back on what is reportedly a one-year, $5 million deal.

Payton, 6-4, 195-pounds, averaged 10.0 points, 7.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds over 27.7 minutes in 45 games (36 starts) for New York last season. The Gretna, LA native was originally signed on July 8, 2019 and then waived on November 19, 2020.

He holds career averages of 11.0 points, 6.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds over 29.3 minutes in 387 games (331 starts) over six seasons with Orlando, Phoenix, New Orleans and New York. He was originally selected by Philadelphia 10th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft out of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Knicks and Elfrid Payton agree to contract

The Knicks and Elfrid Payton said their goodbyes, then quickly said “just kidding.” Here’s the New York Post:

After waving him on Thursday, the Knicks are set to re-sign Payton on a one-year, $5 million deal to fill the team’s hole at point guard, The Post’s Marc Berman confirmed.

Payton becomes the Knicks’ second signing since free agency began, joining swingman Alec Burks, who agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal on Friday night.

Last year, after signing a two-year, $16 million deal to join the Knicks, Payton started 36 games and averaged 10 points, 7.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds.

Pelicans sign Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed forward Julius Randle and guard Elfrid Payton.

Randle’s contract is reportedly a two-year, $18 million deal. And Payton’s contract is reportedly a one-year deal.

Payton wasn’t really thought of as a long-term part of the Magic. He hasn’t yet proven if he’s worthy of starting on a good team vs being a bench contributor. He definitely belongs in almost any team’s backcourt rotation. And should presumably continue to improve.

Randle was thought of as a long-term part of the Lakers’ future. At least until the emergence of Kyle Kuzma, the signing of LeBron James, and the need for salary cap flexibility. Randle probably wanted a serious long-term contract from the Lakers. But this isn’t the right time for them to commit to that. They would have liked to keep him. But business is business, and right now the Lakers’ business is making roster moves devoted to getting some stars around LeBron James by next offseason.

Payton, 6-4, 185, played last season with the Orlando Magic (44 games) and Phoenix Suns (19 games), averaging 12.7 points, 6.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 28.7 minutes per contest. In 300 career NBA regular season games with Orlando and Phoenix, Payton has averaged 11.2 points, 6.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 29.5 minutes per game.

A native of Gretna, La., Payton starred at John Ehret High School before playing collegiately at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. After a three-year collegiate career where he was a two-time member of the First-Team All-Sun Belt and the 2014 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, Payton was selected 10th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft by Philadelphia before being acquired by Orlando in a draft night trade.

Randle, 6-9, 250, had previously spent his entire four-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers after being selected seventh overall in the 2014 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky. This past season, Randle appeared in all 82 regular season games for the Lakers, averaging a career-high 16.1 points on a career-high .558 shooting from the field to go with 8.0 rebounds – including 2.2 on the offensive end – and 2.6 assists in 26.7 minutes per game.

In 238 career regular season games (182 starts), Randle holds career averages of 13.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 27.8 minutes per game

Suns waive Isaiah Canaan, trade for Elfrid Payton

The Phoenix Suns today waived guard Isaiah Canaan, then completed a trade to acquire point guard Elfrid Payton from the Orlando Magic in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick via Memphis.

“We are excited to add a player of Elfrid’s caliber to our young core,” said Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough. “Elfrid is an athletic point guard who has good size, length and a feel for the game. We think he’ll be a great fit with our team and we look forward to seeing him in a Suns uniform.”

In his fourth NBA season, Payton is averaging a career-high 13.0 points shooting career bests of 52.0 percent from the field (23rd in the NBA) and 37.3 percent from three-point range. In addition, he is averaging 6.3 assists (14th in the NBA), 4.0 rebounds and 1.45 steals (24th in the NBA) in 44 games. Payton is one of just three players in the NBA this season averaging at least six assists while shooting over 50 percent from the field along with LeBron James and Ben Simmons, and also joins James and Simmons as the only three players to rank in the top 25 in assists, steals and field goal percentage.

Payton holds career averages of 11.1 points, 6.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.36 steals in 281 games, starting 234. The Magic’s all-time franchise leader with eight career triple-doubles, he scored a career-high 30 points earlier this season on December 23 at Washington. Currently exceeding six assists per game for the fourth straight season, Payton is the first NBA player since Chris Paul from 2005-2009 to average at least six assists in each of his first four NBA seasons.

The 6-4, 185-pound floor general was originally the 10th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers before being traded to the Magic on draft night. Named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2015, Payton twice participated in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend.

A native of Gretna, Louisiana, Payton starred collegiately at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for three seasons from 2011-2014. He won the 2013-14 Lefty Driesell Award given annually to the nation’s top defensive player and represented USA Basketball at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Czech Republic, starting all nine games to help lead the U.S. to a 9-0, gold-medal finish.

The second-round pick heading to Orlando was originally secured by the Suns along with guard Troy Daniels in a deal with the Grizzlies on September 22, 2017. The pick to be conveyed will be the second most favorable selection of Memphis, Charlotte or Miami’s 2018 second-round picks.

Payton will wear uniform No. 2.

“We still consider Isaiah to be a member of the Phoenix Suns family,” said Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough. “In speaking with Isaiah and his agent, we are fully committed to doing everything we can to help him with his rehab and recovery from his injury. This move is being made strictly to create a roster spot with Isaiah being out for the remainder of the season.”

In his fifth NBA season, Canaan initially signed with the Suns on December 13 and averaged 9.1 points and 4.0 assists in 19 games with the team. He recorded 10 games scoring in double digits with the Suns, including a season-high 17 points in a win at Dallas on December 18. On January 31, Canaan sustained a fractured left ankle in the first quarter against the Mavericks then underwent successful surgery in Phoenix on February 1.

The Suns’ roster stands at 17 players