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Orlando Magic should start Elfrid Payton

By Andrew Melnick

The Orlando Magic have been very impressed by rookie point guard Elfrid Payton, the 10th-overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Orlando Magic have been very impressed by rookie point guard Elfrid Payton, the 10th-overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic have been very impressed by rookie point guard Elfrid Payton, the 10th-overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft

[related-categry]The Orlando Magic selected former Arizona Wildcats’ forward Aaron Gordon with the fourth-overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. The Magic, who also held the 12th-overall pick hoped to land a point guard and targeted former Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns’ star Elfrid Payton. They wound up giving up a future pick to move up to 10 to select him.

The early plan appeared to be to bring him off of the bench but Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel believes the Magic need to start Elfrid Payton.

"The Magic shouldn’t have to deliberate: Start the kid with the chronic case of bed-head.They need to start Payton at point guard when the regular season opens and check back in a decade or so for a replacement.There’s nothing else left to see… and yet everything left to see.This should be an easy call for coach Jacque Vaughn.Hand Payton the point-guard keys and watch the rookie turn this test-drive into a road rally. Stick with him through all his warts and wonder.If you’re uncertain about where this thing is going since Dwight Howard bolted, Payton has the potential to ease your mind and find the open man."

The Magic have other options – they used Victor Oladipo at point guard last year and signed veteran Luke Ridnour. However, Schmitz is right – the Magic should get their back court of the future playing together right away and start Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton together. Not only would they gain valuable experience but based on early returns, it may give them the best chance to win now.

Elfrid Payton put up 19.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.3 steals per game and shot 50.0% from the floor, but just 25.9% from beyond the arc and 59.0% from the free throw line for the Ragin’ Cajuns last season.

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