8:41pm: The Magic have officially traded Payton to the Suns, the team announced in a press release. Phoenix waived Isaiah Canaan in order to clear a roster spot for Payton.
2:52pm: Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel clarifies (via Twitter) that the second-round pick the Magic receive in the deal will actually be the second-most favorable of the Grizzlies’, Hornets’, and Heat’s 2018 second-rounders. For now, that would be the Charlotte pick.
1:58pm: The Magic and Suns have agreed to a trade, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the teams will swap point guard Elfrid Payton for a second-round pick. That pick will be the Grizzlies’ 2018 second-rounder, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
The deal signals a new start for Payton, who is headed for restricted free agency this summer. His streaky shooting and problems on defense made him expendable, especially as a new regime took over in Orlando’s front office. Payton was having a fine statistical season, averaging 13.0 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game, but the Magic still aren’t winning and the organization decided to go in a different direction.
He will get a chance to revive his career with the Suns, who have been looking for a new point guard since trading Eric Bledsoe to Milwaukee. Phoenix lost Isaiah Canaan to a broken ankle at the end of January and was down to just one healthy point guard on its roster. The addition of Payton allows Devin Booker to move back to his natural position of shooting guard, adds Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
The Suns reached the salary floor with the move and have $6.9MM in cap space remaining, posts Bobby Marks on ESPN Now. Payton will carry a cap hit of $3.3MM and will be restricted this summer if Phoenix tenders a $4.8MM qualifying offer as expected.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Damn gave him away lol
Tank job. Give away one of your better players to a team fighting for the worst record with you for free.
“Better players” isn’t a good word to describe Payton considering Orlando’s roster as a whole is pretty bad, with Gordon, Vucevic, Isaac, and Fournier being the only potential bright spots. Payton’s stats are slightly boosted from him being on a bad team. He’ll be out of the league in a few seasons if he doesn’t start hitting from 3pt range or at least shoot better from the free throw line.
He’s hotting 37% from 3 so he is an improver. But the article questioned his D, which if I recall was his thing coming out of college.
I think his problem is toughness and focus. Getting traded for almost nothing might encourage that.
Suns did well
You don’t get better numbers as a point guard on a bad team. You get given numbers on a good team because you get more looks and your team makes more of your passes. He’s not a Center.
Wasn’t worth much to begin with. He’s been available pretty much all year and nobody has touched him.
Grizzlies 2nd is roughly #35. They traded it to the Suns as Troy Daniels sweetener.
Former 1st pick going for a 2nd round pick? I get it, he’s going to restricted FA, but I’d play the market versus settle for a 2 rd pick (high coming from PHX).
He’s not any good. He can’t shoot from deep and can’t hit free throws. His numbers have basically been the same since his rookie year. He’s a poor man’s MCW.
next year #1 draft pick .. at 6’2 , 180 # from oklahoma…point guard .. mr young come on down