Report: Former Suns point guard Elfrid Payton to sign with Pelicans
Jul 1, 2018, 8:10 PM | Updated: Jul 2, 2018, 11:28 am
Phoenix Suns' Elfrid Payton passes the ball around Orlando Magic's D.J. Augustin, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
Former Suns point guard Elfrid Payton has agreed to a contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
Payton played 19 games for the Suns last season after they acquired him at the trade deadline.
Initially, he was a welcome breath of fresh air on a team that struggled to find productive point guard play in 2018. Over his first eight games in Phoenix, Payton averaged 17.1 points, 7.5 assists and 7.8 rebounds.
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However, over the next 11, his averages dipped to 7.9 points, 5.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds.
He missed the final seven games due to a knee injury.
Payton, a Louisiana native, attended college at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He will be returning home to New Orleans on a one-year deal, according to Wojnarowski.
