Pelicans’ Elfrid Payton Delivers Historic 21-Assist Game After Two-Year Absence
Payton’s Remarkable Game Shines Despite Loss to the Indiana Pacers
Talk About Resilience
If they had a comeback game award in the NBA, the New Orleans Pelicans Elfrid Payton would have it locked up already. In NBA news, the guard who missed two years had 21 assists in his team’s loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
Elfrid Payton dished it out all over the court!
His 21 AST is a new NBA season-high and a new career-high 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RpVFI4TMi7
— NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2024
A One-Time Lottery Pick
There had been a lot of NBA games played before Payton returned to the league. He was a lottery pick in 2014, 10th overall, by the Philadelphia 76ers. They traded him to the Orlando Magic.
Like many lottery picks, Payton didn’t work out and was out of the league. Payton’s NBA stats saw him shoot only 28.9% from behind the arc, not good for a guard. There were no NBA rumors that he would return to the league after he washed out following the 2021-22 season.
Zion Williamson is just one of the Pelicans players who are injured this campaign. So, New Orleans looked around for talent and found Payton.
Elfrid Payton with a career-high 21 AST to go with 14 PTS (7/11 FG) and 7 REB! Rondo is the only player in franchise history with more AST in a game (25).
This is 3rd game back in the NBA
He last played with the Suns in 2022 pic.twitter.com/b9Q2uPIilD
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 26, 2024
Where Has Eldrid Payton Been Playing?
After exiting the Phoenix Suns in 2022, Payton played for the Indiana Mad Ants—real nickname—in the G League. He also spent time in the Puerto Rican League.
It would be easy to get lost with those teams so far off the radar, especially the league in Puerto Rico, but the Pelicans are known for scouting talent that hasn’t panned out.
Back in the NBA
Betting odds that Elfrid Payton would be in the NBA let alone have the biggest assist game of the season would be astronomical. He signed with the Pels in October and was waived again only to resurface on Nov. 20.
#Pelicans sign Elfrid Payton 🏀
Story: https://t.co/XDKPu4c0hi pic.twitter.com/F8UkNLt6ez
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 20, 2024
New Orleans needs able bodies and Payton was one. He wound up in the starting lineup and had a solid game with 11 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in only 22 minutes. Talk about earning more playing time.
That brought Payton to Monday and the game against the Pacers. Elfrid Payton’s stats saw him play 31 minutes and account for 14 points, seven rebounds, and 21 assists. That’s a remarkable night for someone the NBA had long given up on.
2019 ➡️ 2024@elfrid Payton back with the Pelicans pic.twitter.com/W12kCeRBja
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 11, 2024
Overall, in his NBA career, Payton has averaged better than 10 points per game, almost six assists, and four rebounds. With those numbers, it is hard to figure out how he got lost in the player shuffle.
The Pelicans took a chance on him and have been rewarded. It’s a home state story for a player who went to college in Louisiana and is having a rebirth in the Bayou State.
