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Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
2022 Free Agents - Elfrid Payton
Summary
Despite Payton's lack of outside shooting ability, he found a role for himself in recent years as a lower usage point guard that can defend multiple positions. After joining the Knicks in 2019, he was even a serviceable starting point guard for a short time.
However, Payton predictably struggled in the 2021 playoffs, as he was eventually pulled from the Knicks' starting lineup and the rotation entirely. He fell back to being a third string guard on a deep Suns team, and didn't get consistent rotation minutes in '21-'22.
Payton has historically put up pretty good box stats, showing some playmaking skills and rebounding well for a guard. He also lowered his turnover rate in New York, although that didn't continue in his limited minutes this season with the Suns.
As an under-29% three-point shooter on low volume, Payton's lack of outside shot as plagued him his whole career. Payton at least has enough skill that even if he doesn't shoot an open look he could potentially attack the opening and make plays for others. He also has enough size that his teams have flexibility in regards to what type of players you can play next to him.
Payton didn't seem to get much interest in free agency in 2021, settling for a one-year minimum contract with Phoenix, where he struggled to get playing time, and could find himself really struggling to find offers in free agency in 2022. Payton is probably best served as an insurance-level guard that can fill in adequately if a team has lots of injuries, but some teams would rather use those last roster spots on young prospects instead.
Cap Considerations
Payton will be an unrestricted free agent with a $1.8 million cap hold and Non-Bird Rights. This means that the highest starting salary the Suns could offer him using the Non-Bird Exception is $3.1 million. This should be enough to retain Payton, since he settled for the minimum of $2.2 million to come to Phoenix. Alternatively, the Suns could use their Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception to re-sign Payton if he demands more than $3.1 million.
Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Payton as even teams without cap space could possibly use any of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Taxpayer MLE, Room MLE, or Bi-Annual Exception to sign him. It's also likely that Payton only gets minimum offers, and may not even get fully-guaranteed offers.
Potential Teams: 76ers, Suns, Hornets, Cavaliers, Nuggets
Predicted Contract: 1-year, $2.5 million (non-guaranteed) with the 76ers
Last updated: 5/27/2022
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