The Current Crop
Elfrid Payton
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/30/2016.
Despite a slight improvement in his infamously poor jump shot, sophomore guard Elfrid Payton made little progress in his second year in the NBA. Regressing defensively and continuing to get around screens, Payton will likely remain the starting point guard entering 2017, but significant improvement is expected if he is truly going to be the Magic’s point guard of the future.
Brandon Jennings
| Season | Tm | G | GS | MP | FG% | 3P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | TOT | 48 | 7 | 18.1 | .368 | .329 | .452 | .731 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 6.9 |
| 2015-16 | DET | 23 | 1 | 18.1 | .371 | .312 | .455 | .711 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 6.8 |
| 2015-16 | ORL | 25 | 6 | 18.1 | .366 | .346 | .450 | .750 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 7.0 |
| Career | 460 | 416 | 32.3 | .390 | .350 | .453 | .799 | 3.1 | 5.9 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 15.5 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/30/2016.
Following his arrival from the Detroit Pistons, Brandon Jennings appeared to be somewhat similar (although a diluted form) of his former self. Looking to score the ball, Jennings was a volume shooter which would sometimes disrupt the offense in and of itself, while his playmaking was poorer that that of other Magic guards, such as Payton and C.J. Watson. Inefficient and a poor defender, his injuries likely leave him as a perennial backup point guard going forward — but not for the Magic.
Shabazz Napier
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/30/2016.
Arriving for essentially nothing from the Miami Heat, there were hopes at the start of the season Shabazz Napier could show the form he displayed leading UConn to an NCAA Tournament title back in 2011 and 2014. However, his lack of size, defensive struggles and inability to finish at the rim nor knock-it-down from the perimeter have left the 24-year old a player without any defining skills. At this stage, his NBA future is not yet certain.
C.J. Watson
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/30/2016.
Veteran point guard C.J. Watson had a statistically poor season in 2016, and the eye test does not offer much greater support for the 32 year old. However, unlike the other names on this list, Watson was injured for the majority of the season, playing only 33 games. As a result it would be unfair to judge his contributions too harshly until next season.
However, his shooting must significantly rebound — Watson shot 40.0 percent from deep with the Indiana Pacers in 2015.
With only Payton and Watson likely to return next season, there is need for at least one further point guard on the Magic’s roster. Which free agents are available?
Next: D.J. Augustin