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Elfrid Payton returns home
The 24-year-old leader has agreed to a one-year contract to join the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday evening (July 1), sources confirmed.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the news
Payton is considered a likely backup if New Orleans can re-sign the leader of the free agent Rajon Rondo, but the team will also have options if the veteran decides to walk, confirmed sources.
He will not be able to sign his agreement before the end of the moratorium in July, Friday at 11 am. The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed
6.2 Assists and 4.3 rebounds in 2017-18 and debuted in 253 of the 300 games that he has played in his career.
The 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard is one of the league's best goalkeepers, but his outside pull was one of the weaknesses of his game. He shot at 45.7 percent on the field for his career, but he only made 29.8 percent of his attempts beyond the three-point arc.
He was drafted by Orlando Magic with the number 10 pick in the 2014 first round NBA Draft and played four seasons with them before being traded to the Phoenix Suns in February. The choice with which he had been chosen originally belonged to New Orleans, but he was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers in an exchange that brought Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans.
Philadelphia sent Payton to the Orlando Magic in a day exchange. 19659004] He played the first four years of his career with the Magic before being traded to the Phoenix Suns in February. He struggled to find his place in one of the worst teams in the league and averaged 11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.2 badists in 19 games.
He has never played in a team that has won more than 35 games in a season and the Pelicans could give him his first opportunity to reach the playoffs.
Payton was not very recruited when he played basketball at John Ehret in Marrero, but he showed steady progress over his three seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette before giving up his last year to get into the repechage.
During his junior season, he collected 19.2 points, six rebounds and 5.9 badists and led the Ragin 'Cajuns to their first place at the NCAA Tournament since 2005.
Payton had one of the most recognizable cuts in the NBA career, but some people speculated that he could have caused problems with his jumper because he blocked his vision.
He relieved these concerns this summer when he posted a photo on his Instagram story showing that he was finally cutting off his signature hairstyle. 19659016] It's really you, @elfrid ?? [?][?] pic.twitter.com/X5WUenZZjd
– SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) May 18, 2018
He averaged 11.2 points and 6.4 badists during his career.
The basket is expected to make a natural fit with Pelican rider Anthony Davis, and it will allow Jrue Holiday to stay more often in his convenience store role.
Will Guillory can be reached at wguillory @ nola. com or 504.258.5344. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WillGuillory . You can subscribe to our Pelicans Youtube channel here.
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