Elfrid Payton setting the table for Orlando Magic in preseason

Elfrid Payton has not done much statistically so far in the preseason. But he has more than done enough to set the table and help the Orlando Magic so far.

Elfrid Payton is rarely going to be the team’s leading scorer. In fact, it is rare that he is going to look for his own shot. His stat lines in his fewer minutes in preseason are hardly going to impress. Payton will not be the guy to lead the team in scoring or even mess around in the preseason and fall into points.

That is not Payton’s role during regular season games, and that certainly is not what the Orlando Magic want him to do in the preseason.

Instead, Payton’s role is much more subtle. Especially for this point of the year. Payton’s job is to man the controls throughout the preseason and make sure everyone is getting what they need out of the preseason. His job is to make sure everyone gets their touches.

It might be hard to notice, especially on a box score, but a big part of the Magic’s success offensively in the preseason is the tone Payton has set for the team. He has been its initiator and point guard.

"“I’m just trying to get the chemistry as good as possible heading into the season,” Payton told Orlando Magic Daily on Friday after practice. “I’m trying to get everyone feeling good offensively. That is my biggest thing, getting everyone feeling confident heading into the first game. And working on my defense, that has been my biggest thing.”"

Payton is averaging a fairly minuscule 2.5 points per game, shooting just 2 for 8 from the floor. He has dished out nine total assists through his two games in 35 minutes of action. It is preseason — and the first two preseason games, at that — and so these numbers do not mean much.

What means a lot more for the Magic is how the team is playing with him on the floor.

Undoubtedly, the Magic’s starting unit has played well in the first two preseason games. Their play has been extremely encouraging. Not without flaws the team still needs to clean up, but strong to continue inspiring confidence and grow from as the preseason continues.

Orlando Magic

In all, the Magic have a 111.4 offensive rating with Payton on the floor. If these numbers can be believed, the Magic are indeed carrying over their strong play from last year. And Payton is at least part of the reason.

"“I think for the most part we are a team that is trying to make the right play on the offensive end,” coach Frank Vogel told Orlando Magic Daily after practice Friday. “I think Evan Fournier is really trying to pass the ball. EP really is. There are still a handful possessions where we don’t. I just want to make sure that every possession results in every player trying to make the right play. That’s the pathway to us having a tied together group chemistry-wise. We all have that mindset we’ll be one. If we are one, we will have a strong season.”"

And that is where Payton comes in. He is the glue that made the Magic work so well to end last season.

The numbers seem wrote now, but there is no denying Payton took his game to another level after the All-Star Break, averaging 13.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the floor. Payton tallied five triple-doubles in that time frame too. The Magic’s offense with him on the floor skyrocketed to a far more respectable number.

It was fairly simple and obvious, but the Magic are a much better team when Payton plays well compared to when he does not. That is something that should be fairly apparent from a logic standpoint.

Payton said he always tries to get better and hopes he can continue his trend of having strong finishes to each season. What he hopes is different this year is that he starts from a strong place. Payton wants to build off what he did last year.

"“Every night, you try to go out there and have a good game,” Payton told Orlando Magic Daily. “I try my best to make sure I am on my game because I know our percentages are better to win when I am on, when I am having a good game.”"

In that process, he has received some help.

Elfrid Payton said Magic consultant Randy Wittman has helped him throughout practice giving little hints and small tips from what he sees on the court. Wittman was a point forward, most notably for the Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers, in the late 1980s. He has coached a lot in the league too, including helping mentor John Wall through his formative years.

That extra bit of information from Wittman can only help Payton grow his game and reach consistency. That will be something he works on throughout the early part of the season.

So far, with the Magic focusing on themselves, they need Payton less to hunt for his own stats and more to do that good point guard duty — help others get their work in. And, by doing that, Payton also begins to run the team and manage everything that comes with it. Even if his raw statistics do not show it, he is binding this Magic offense together.

Payton recognizes too that most of the work he has to do to improve this season will come on the defensive end. He said he worked this summer on his defensive principles, working to get around screens and being better on the defensive end. That will help his team overall as much as anything.

Right now, Payton is focused on helping others more on the offensive end, being the engine that drives every other part of the team. And then on defense, he is focused on improving himself and being a better player on that front.

Next: Transition is the glue and key to the Orlando Magic

The results so far are encouraging.