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Orlando Magic Starting Five Breakdown: Elfrid Payton

By Luke Duffy

Apr 10, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton (4) points from the court against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton (4) points from the court against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 14, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo (5) and guard Elfrid Payton (4) high five against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Houston Rockets 120-113. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo (5) and guard Elfrid Payton (4) high five against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Houston Rockets 120-113. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

The Expectation

More of the same, please. Coming out of college we knew what Payton could do well, and his jump up to the pros didn’t exactly throw up anything we didn’t see coming. The quickness with which he adjusted to playing in the NBA was worth noting though, as was his ability to just play his game whether he was starting or coming off the bench. This season you’d hope to see his assist numbers increase right across the board.

You’d also like to see him attempt more free throws (for somebody who attacked the basket frequently last year, he only attempted 2.6 free throws per game) while becoming a more consistent defender. Bucking up on the defensive end is a big one here as Payton has the tools to do so. He’s a big guard and has shown commitment on that end regularly for the team. Having a head coach like Skiles to hammer home the finer details should mean a more tuned in Payton on the defensive end.

The other big issue here is shooting. Payton’s jump shot is not pretty, but again this was a known fact when he was drafted. Some nights it looks and works better than others, but that wild inconsistency is the main issue here. He shot 43.5% from the field last season, but that includes those drives so it’s a misleading number. As for the 26.2% from three point territory? Well that’s just awful. The shooting has to get better, it just has to.

Next: Growth May Be A Much Slower Process This Season

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