Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Elfrid Payton

Elfrid Payton shined brilliantly during his rookie season, validating the cost of trading for him in the 2014 NBA Draft and ultimately showing all the signs that he is the point guard of the future.

Elfrid Payton came as a somewhat obscure prospect to many Magic fans.

Hailing from UL-Layfayette, he was not the one of the guys we saw from a major program making appearances on ESPN. Rather, he was dominating mid-major programs all while amassing the third highest usage rate in the nation.

Payton’s dominance at the college level was pronounced. It was so definitive, he did not have use for a jump shot. He got to the basket at will, creating for himself and his teammates.

It is somewhat surprising to see that same type of dominance occurring on an NBA court. Payton gets to the spots he wants to on the court, and he seldom loses the ball in traffic.

That uncanny knack of keeping his dribble when in the midst of a triple team is something we only see from the likes of Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Steve Nash and the other few guys whose handles render them comfortable no matter what a defense throws at them.

Payton had the unenviable task of being thrown straight into the fire as a rookie point guard. No other position is as demanding, nor hard to adapt to. But the wild-haired rookie thrived, even making the first team All-Rookie.

It was hard to fathom how he was so disrespected in Rookie of the Year voting, particularly after his back-to-back triple doubles. But in time, the league will take notice of Payton.

Let’s take a closer look at what could be the first season of a legendary career.

Next: The Good and the Bad

The Good and the Bad

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Generated 5/29/2015.

Elfrid Payton, simply, lacks shooting ability.

It is the glaring black mark on what could be a dominant offensive attack. Payton either needed to get directly to the basket or rely on a streaky tear drop jumper to get his buckets. Teams dared him to shoot, and sometimes he still made them pay by taking it right at the rim.

But at times, it became clear Payton just did not trust his shot at all. He hesitated on a look he should have taken or made an extra pass when one was unnecessary.

With a better jumper, his entire offensive arsenal will be that much more effective.

Payton’s massive hands may make it difficult for him to improve his shooting with his current form. Huge hands typically impede a shooter’s ability to keep his palm off the ball, and those pitfalls are seen when Payton takes the free throw line. It is just like the issues Rajon Rondo has had, but the hope isPayton overcomes it with greater ease.

Payton hit just 55.1 percent from the line this year, and he was 26 percent from behind the arc. While he was 51.5 percent within three feet, he shot 37 percent from 3-to-10 feet and just 32 percent from 10-to-16 feet.

These are all ranges at which he has to be more effective to be the best pick-and-roll partner he can be. Teams are going to continue to surrender these shots to Payton until he comfortably hits mid-40 percentages in the mid-range.

Those are his shortcomings, but the good far outweighs the bad.

Payton demonstrated all the personality traits of someone who can succeed. He showed he is remarkably humble and hungry, and that success will not go to his head. Following his second triple-double, it was as though he had just played one more game, not as though he dominated an All-Star in Damian Lillard, or that the Magic had knocked off a contending Western Conference team.

At his best, he showed he could be the type of talent to make an All-NBA first team.

Payton appeared in all 82 games (the only player on the Magic to do so) and played 30 minutes or more in 48 of those appearances. He had 10 assists or more on 13 occasions, and the number may have been higher still if not for the period of games James Borrego inexplicably started Willie Green.

The Magic may have had to take their bumps and bruises with Payton and his inexperience, but the benefits of riding through his struggles far outweigh the importance of sneaking games out with Green.

Payton’s ball skills and his fakes are of a quality rarely seen. A simple hesitation and perfectly executed head or ball fake often leaves him with a wide open look in the paint.

When he is not as successful at losing the defender, he is often able to set up Dewayne Dedmon or Nikola Vucevic under the basket. When the Magic began the season they won four of their first 10 games with Payton starting, and the improvement to .500 basketball begins with his creative abilities.

Next: Best Game of 2015

Best Game of 2015

March 20 vs Portland
22 pts., 10 assts., 10 rebs., 10/13 FGs

Elfrid Payton had his finest game of the year at the Amway Center against Damian Lillard. It was his second triple-double in a row, and he showed from the very beginning it was going to be his kind of night.

Nikola Vucevic got the Magic started, but Payton came up with a huge steal and breakaway that gave Orlando a 17-9 lead midway through the first quarter, forcing a Blazers timeout. At that point, Orlando had six offensive rebounds and by quarter’s end Payton was already starting to stuff the stat sheet with four rebounds, three assists and six points.

The Magic allowed Portland to sneak back in it but still led 25-19 after Ben Gordon hit a buzzer-beating three to close the period.

All five starters took the court again in the mid-second quarter after an 11-4 Portland run began the period — and Payton got going. He made a head fake that caused Robin Lopez to jump out of his shoes and dropped it in for his 10th point. He finished the half six for six from the floor with six dimes, four rebounds and four steals.

He had kept Vucevic involved in pick and rolls and Vucevic had 14 points. The bench had contributed another 21 points, and the Magic looked like a team with top-end talent and depth. It was that kind of night. There was a sense the team could prevail and the Amway Center was coming to life.

Portland outscored the Orlando 25-17 in the third quarter and Payton came back in to throw another nasty head fake on Damian Lillard as he weaved in for 18 points. Channing Frye came back and hit a triple to put the Magic up 95-88 with just under five minutes to go.

Payton notched his second triple double and was coming of age. He kept Lillard in check as the Blazers tried to make its late game push, and though LaMarcus Aldridge scored 30 points on 23 shots, the Magic prevailed.

Payton showed a lot that game. He showed he can pick up the slack on the boards, lose defenders seemingly at will and do it all while playing tough-nosed defense on the other end.

Perhaps most of all, he had begun to show his ability to play the game of basketball transcends his lack of shooting ability or any of his inconsistencies.

Payton cited the fact his teammates helped him get the triple double, and though Lillard was not exactly shut down, most could easily ascertain the Magic’s rookie got the better of him. Lillard shot 6 for 15 from the floor and finished with 18 points and four assists.

Payton’s gaudy line read: 10 of 13 from the floor, 10 rebounds (five offensive), 10 assists, four steals, just one turnover and 22 points.

Next: 2016 Outlook

2016 Outlook

Elfrid Payton is the certified starter and a foundation of the rebuilding effort. Barring something strange happening, he will be starting at point guard again next season.

The question of Payton’s improvement mostly hinges on fixing the hitch in his shot. If he begins to hit the mid-range jumpshot, he could make such a quantum leap as to be an All-Star in two seasons from now.

During the final month of the season, he led the NBA in assists despite playing with an underwhelming starting five.

Payton, like many of the league’s top assist men in history, found ways to make his teammates better. Even the Magic’s worst offensive player in Dewayne Dedmon kept his hands ready and benefitted from Payton’s great court vision.

Payton’s ability to make his teammates better will continue to be his best asset, and it could render him a legend.

It may seem like getting ahead of ourselves, but he showed more than flashes. He showed during entire stretches of the season that he can be a top-tier NBA point guard. He did not back down from any challenges before him, and when it was all said and done, we were surprised he did not receive more respect from media in the Rookie of the Year vote.

But the entire NBA fan base has not yet been privy to Payton’s brilliance. As the Magic continue to improve and gain some more nights on national TV, his name will be mentioned frequently in discussing the league’s best creators.

Next: Final Grade

Final Grade

Next: Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Channing Frye