The Orlando Magic have a history of acquiring good point guards, be it through the draft, trades or free agency. It is one of the more talent-rich positions in franchise history, and it is worth taking a look at where current floor general Elfrid Payton ranks in Magic history.
Elfrid Payton had a historically awesome rookie season, and his small body of work has to count against him, but he is on a path to eclipse some of the best talents in a Magic uniform. He already challenged Anfernee Hardaway‘s franchise rookie record for assists and became the first Magic player with back-to-back triple doubles.
At this point, his passing ability and court vision is secondary only to the supreme option in this slideshow (and it is not as though it will be suspenseful as to who that is).
The Magic boast just a few All-Star point guard in franchise history, and Payton may join the annals in seasons to come. With the addition of a reliable jumper, he will have a chance to catch the guys in front of him in this slideshow.
For now, let’s see where he might stand in the pantheon.
Next: 10. Brian Shaw
10) Brian Shaw
Brian Shaw is one of only two backups to grace the top-10. He was an effective combo guard off the bench for the Magic’s Finals run in 1995, and he complemented Penny Hardaway effectively because Shaw brought size to the position like Penny, being 6-foot-6
He may rank higher if not for quips with his shooting form, which was not a thing of beauty for a guy who jacked up so many jumpers.
Shaw’s ceiling was thought to be far higher when the Boston Celtics drafted him, but he had a strong career for a backup or borderline starter.
His career spanned 14 NBA seasons, three of which were spent with the Magic. He finished with career averages of 6.9 points and 4.2 assists per game. His best years were his first few in Boston and Miami, and he averaged 11 points and 4.6 assists in 11 playoff games for the 1990-91 Celtics.
Next: 9. Sam Vincent
9) Sam Vincent
Sam Vincent came courtesy of the Chicago Bulls when the Magic selected him in the 1989 expansion draft. He was initially in a timeshare situation with Scott Skiles, but was gradually pushed to the bench as Skiles became a premier point guard. Vincent was very quick and a good decision maker, but he was a bit of a “shoot-first” point guard.
Those types are best served to be a part of second units.
His career spanned just six NBA seasons, and that included three years in Orlando (though the final year he appeared in less than half the games after tearing his ACL).
Vincent’s best season came in Orlando’s inaugural season when he posted 11.2 points and 5.6 assists per game in just 26 minutes per contest. Vincent’s knee issues eventually caused an early decline and retirement at the age of 28.
Next: 8. Derek Harper
Derek Harper may be the best defensive point guard the Magic have had.
He made the NBA second team All-Defensive in 1987 and 1990, and by the time he finished his career in New York to head to Orlando, he was 36 years old and in his waning days.
Even so, Harper averaged 8.6 points and 3.5 assists per game while starting 45 games for the 97-98 Magic.
The Magic may not have had prime Harper, but he was solid enough in his mid-30s to warrant this spot in the rankings.
Harper’s career win shares are on par with Joe Dumars, Rod Strickland, Dale Ellis, Mitch Richmond, Steve Smith…and Isiah Thomas.
In other words, he is a seldom and least regarded legend, yet one of the most impactful for 15 NBA seasons. If only he could have played for a winning team longer in his career.
Next: 7. Rafer Alston
7) Rafer Alston
Rafer Alston spent just half a season in Orlando, but he was vital. Very vital.
The Magic had lost Jameer Nelson due to a shoulder injury just before the All-Star Break (Nelson’s only selection to the event, and he was not able to participate), so the Magic had to throw a first round pick to the Houston Rockets for Alston to stay afloat and remain a title contender as Anthony Johnson and the recently acquired Tyronn Lue could not carry the load.
He served as a more than adequate replacement, and was responsible for guiding the Magic to the 2009 Finals.
However, Nelson recovered by the time the Magic got to the Lakers. Alston lost his starting role and the Magic lost the series (4-1).
Might Orlando have fared better had Alston remained in his starting role? That is one of the all-time great quandaries of Magic history, actually.
In 29 regular season games with Orlando, he average 12 points and 5.1 assists per game. In the postseason, he averaged 12.2 and 4.1, while playing 32 minutes per game.
The Magic could not have done any better for a stop-gap replacement, and, if not for Alston, that Finals appearance would not have happened.
Next: 6. Elfrid Payton
6) Elfrid Payton
Ah, Elfrid, we were wondering when you would show up.
Elfrid Payton became historically good in his rookie season. Payton strung together back-to-back triple doubles, the second of which was done by throughly dominating Portland’s All-Star point guard Damian Lillard.
At his best during the 2015 season, it was clear Payton could be even legendary.
His small body of work keeps him from cracking the top-five in history, obviously. However, he is the only Magic player to record consecutive triple doubles and the only rookie in team history with multiple triple doubles, and, other than a horrendous jumper, has all the makings of a premier NBA point guard. His court vision, leadership, and his humility, are all not teachable traits.
Payton is a special talent and Magic general manager Rob Hennigan gets the credit for mining him out of a draft not saturated with talent.
The No. 10 selection, Payton, is considered in the top-three of that class, with the two studs Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins the only ones whose upsides are higher.
Next: 5. Jameer Nelson
5) Jameer Nelson
Jammer Nelson absolutely maximized every bit of his talent as a NBA player, and, given his diminutive stature and lack of overwhelming speed, he impacted games as a scoring point guard.
Nelson did not post extremely high assist numbers, but that is largely a product of the fact his passes to Dwight Howard were either off the backboard (“shots”) varieties or Howard simply was hacked and sent to the line, negating Nelson’s potential assist numbers. His assist numbers greatly increased when the Magic relied on him more to dominate the ball and make plays for teammates after Howard left.
Numbers don’t tell the entire story. He posted a win share equivalent to Nate McMillan, Vinnie Johnson, Spud Webb and Aaron McKie. Superficially at least, Nelson is up there with some of the great role players of all time.
While Nelson ostensibly was a star of the Magic’s Finals team, he really only put together one All-Star caliber season, and it was cut short, as referenced in the Alston slide.
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Nelson averaged double-figure scoring for the Magic in nine consecutive seasons, the best of which came in the 2013 season after his running mate Dwight Howard left the scene.
He averaged career highs of 14.7 points and 7.4 assists per game, but has seen little success since leaving the Magic.
There is a strong sentiment among fans that he should be brought back to finish his career in Central Florida. It is not altogether out of the question that it happens, either.
Next: 4. Steve Francis
Steve Francis became the Magic’s new star after franchise talent Tracy McGrady was shipped to Houston. Francis brought along his backcourt mate Cuttino Mobley in the deal, and the tandem kept the Magic relevant after losing its superstar in T-Mac.
Francis could leap — flat out.
As a two-foot jumper, it often appeared Francis had landed on a trampoline when he took off in the paint, and he was multidimensional, a point guard who could mix it up inside and come away with boards.
He was a bit controversial behavior-wise at times, but he was far from anything near the level of a “team cancer.”
Eventually, Francis was replaced by Jameer Nelson and the Magic entered a renaissance period following his leave.
That casts aspersions on how good his leadership was during Dwight Howard’s rookie season, but his talents are not in question.
Steve was nicknamed “Steve Franchise” before ever entering the NBA. He did not quite live up to that billing, but he averaged 20 points, 6.6 assists and 5.4 rebounds in the 2005 season for the Magic. He made three All-Star appearances and was a member of the 1999-00 All Rookie first team.
Next: 3. Darrell Armstrong
Darrell Armstrong encompassed an era of Orlando Magic basketball known as the “Heart and Hustle” teams, coached by a young Doc Rivers.
Armstrong was a holdover from the Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway era who came to occupy a much larger role as the team hit a tough transition era, coached by Doc Rivers.
Armstrong is the only player in NBA history to win both the Sixth Man of the Year and the Most Improved Award in the same season (1999), and he became emblematic of what the Magic wanted to sell to the fans: effort.
Darrell was known for never letting off the accelerator and did his best to stay fully charged, even chugging coffee and eating chocolate at halftime of Magic games.
It seemed to work.
Armstrong did not have the most talent, was not the best athlete on the court, but his relentless pursuit of loose balls, solid shooting and most of all his great leadership proved his value went far beyond the 9.2 points and four assists per game he averaged over his 13-year NBA career.
Next: 2. Scott Skiles
2) Scott Skiles
Scott Skiles is a candidate for the Magic’s coaching vacancy, but it must be realized he was a better player than he has been a coach.
Skiles’ effort ranked up there with Armstrong’s, and he helped the Magic queue a 13-game improvement from its first to second NBA season. He was a deadly shooter and still holds the NBA all-time record for assists in a game (30).
He was a fan favorite for his gritty and savvy play from the point guard spot, and he aided Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott early in their respective careers.
Skiles eventually became replaced by Penny Hardaway, but prior to yielding to an All-NBA first team talent, he was having a very nice career for himself in Orlando. He put together a nice season in Washington after departing from Orlando, but his finest year came in 1991 when he averaged 18 points and 8.8 assists per game to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.
Next: 1. Penny Hardaway
1) Penny Hardaway
Some contest Penny Hardaway was not just the best point guard in Magic history, but also the best player. He was a Hall-of-Fame talent whose career was derailed by injuries. But his early ascent illustrated the Magic obtained a legendary talent in the 1993 NBA draft.
Hardaway averaged 16 points, 6.6 assists and 5.4 rebounds as a rookie, and during the 1996 season (Shaq’s final year with him), he averaged 21.7 points, 7.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game as he made his second All-Star appearance.
Hardaway also could defend in addition to his flashy play with the ball. His talent could have rendered him one of the best-50 players in NBA history, but instead his productive seasons tailed off around age 28, the result of too much wear and tear on his knees.
Penny was a deer asked to run like a thoroughbred after Shaq left, and it was just too much for him. His performance in the 1997 Playoffs against the Miami Heat was the apex of his NBA career.
In the five-game series, Hardaway averaged 31 points and six rebounds per game, while nearly bringing the Magic back from an 0-2 deficit on his own. In Games Three and Four, he put up 42 and 41 points in two winning efforts, attempting 53 field goals over the two games.
The Heat put the clamps on Penny in game 5, but it was an incredible effort by a player whose acclaim is legendary, even if his career was stunted.
Hardaway lingered on in the NBA until age 36, but his last season of productivity came at age 32. Even at that point, he was a shadow of the immense talent he was while in Orlando.
Next: What we learned from the oral history on the 1995 Magic