NEW ORLEANS — Most NBA players don’t get a fairy-tale ending for their careers. For most, the dream gets snatched away before they realize the end is near.
Elfrid Payton knew he was dangerously close to being one of those guys.
“It’s tough when you feel like you can still play but you have to wait for the opportunity,” Payton said in a one-on-one conversation on Wednesday morning. “It really forces you to show how much you love the game, how much you’re willing to put into it. I just kept believing that day would come.”
After coming into the league as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2014 Draft, Payton played eight years, starting nearly 400 times. Even after his role dramatically diminished during his final season with the Phoenix Suns in 2021-22, he still thought he had plenty of years ahead of him.
Later that summer, he tried to find a new home, but the calls didn’t come. At 28 years old, he was suddenly out of the NBA.
Payton waited 920 days before he finally got to step on an NBA floor again. Just five days after that, he turned a box score crooked, handing out 21 assists in the New Orleans Pelicans’ loss in Indiana on Monday. He added 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals.
“It was a long time coming. A lot of people around here have been on me about really embracing it and really being proud of myself,” Payton, now 30, said. “I know I have more ahead of me, but that was a special night — one I know I won’t forget”
All 21 of @Elfrid‘s assists last night 🏀 https://t.co/ezjPqu7Ogl pic.twitter.com/xw9XnZca6U
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 26, 2024
During Payton’s two-plus-year absence from the league, he played for a short period in Puerto Rico and a season in the G League. But he never gave up on his hope of getting back to the NBA. Then, the call he was waiting for finally came through.
Payton’s hometown team, the Pelicans, needed to bolster their injury-ravaged backcourt. Payton officially signed his deal on Nov. 20, and later that night, he was already in the starting lineup. As he walked out for the opening tip, he realized these are the kind of stories guys dream about.
He didn’t know it would take only a few days for his story to take a historic turn. Even the location of the game was fitting: During the previous year, he played for the Pacers’ G League affiliate — the Indiana Mad Ants — so it felt close to a homecoming.
It was the league’s first 20-plus-assist game of the year, bettered by one on Wednesday by Trae Young. Payton joined Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison as the fourth Pelican to reach the threshold.
“It’s a credit to him and the resiliency it takes to stick with it,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Elfrid was a lottery pick coming into the NBA. Then to have two seasons when you don’t necessarily play in the league, but continue to stay with it and believe in yourself and have confidence and know that you can step on the floor at any given time and impact a team the way he’s done is remarkable.”
Payton tried to hold in his emotion in the postgame locker room as countless texts poured in from friends and family. Each of his teammates came to his locker and congratulated him for his epic performance. While he was out of the league, he heard from other players that he was still good enough to play in the NBA. But earning this level of respect from his peers made the occasion even more special.
“It speaks for itself,” said Dejounte Murray, whose hand injury was part of the reason the Pelicans needed Payton. Murray returned to the floor on Wednesday night, taking his starting spot back. “You could see it in his face how emotional he wanted to be. But he’s a strong cat. I salute him. I respect him. I respect his game. I respect his professionalism. He’s a dog. That was impressive. I told him about 10 different times that was impressive.”
As special as the experience was for Payton, he couldn’t help but reflect on the speed bumps along the way that almost prevented him from getting here.
Some former lottery picks with years of playing experience would be resistant to playing in the G League to hopefully earn another shot. Going from the lavish lifestyle of an NBA player to the daily grind of being in the G League can feel like a major step down. For Payton, he saw the G League as his easiest path back to an NBA roster.
He also maintained a relationship with members of the Pelicans organization throughout the years after playing one season with New Orleans in 2018-19. While remaining in his hometown, he’d always talk to friends about how special it would be to get one more chance with the team that played home games 10 minutes away from where he grew up.
The Pelicans explored the possibility of adding Payton to the roster earlier this season, but he experienced some tightness in his hamstring after a workout. An MRI revealed a slight strain that would require a few weeks of rehab. He was on the doorstep of his making return but the team had to look elsewhere to find healthy contributors.
“That was definitely tough. But I knew it was close,” said Payton, who added his faith was important during his journey. “I waited all that time, I just knew I had to wait a little longer.
“I believed the opportunity would come. It was longer than I thought or expected, but that ain’t the point. … (There were) some days when I felt like all the work was for nothing. But I had to find ways to keep going. If you really have a passion for the game and a love for the game, you’ve got to find a way to push through.”
In four games with the Pelicans, Payton is averaging 9.8 points and 9.3 assists. He’s provided some stability at the point guard position for a Pelicans team that’s dealt with constant injuries to prominent members of the backcourt since the start of the season.
Murray, Jordan Hawkins and CJ McCollum have already recently returned from injury; Herb Jones will be making his comeback soon. Payton’s deal is non-guaranteed, but would become fully guaranteed if he’s still on the roster on Jan. 10. As the Pelicans continue their struggles to overcome a 4-15 start to the season, it’s almost certain the team will make moves at some point to avoid the possibility of paying the luxury tax, which they project to exceed by about $3.5 million.
With those decisions looming, Payton is unsure how his story will end in New Orleans or how much he’ll play, assuming most of the roster is intact early next month. Even if he doesn’t remain with the Pelicans, Payton has played well enough to show he deserves a shot to be on an NBA roster somewhere else in the league. That is a point of pride for Payton.
Payton’s pass-first nature was part of the reason he has been out of the league, with long-distance shooting becoming more important, even for point guards. Perimeter players who don’t feel comfortable shooting 3-pointers at a high volume have been shunned by most teams.
But Payton is showing the value of a true floor general who can set the table for an offense. Keeping half-court possessions organized and making sure everyone is involved are skills that have become greatly underappreciated.
“We’re the last of a dying breed. There’s only a few of us left,” he said. “They don’t really reward that mentality anymore. Why would guys want to play like that? Guys don’t really get paid for that. It’s all about putting up points and making highlights. But I know who I am and I know how I can impact a game.”
While it’s only natural to wonder what the next chapter of Payton’s story will look like, he’s determined to remain in the moment. He plans on soaking up everything his time back with the Pelicans has to offer.
Most players would give anything to rewrite the end of their story with an opportunity like Payton has now. However, he maintains a different perspective.
“I used to think like that, but I really stopped thinking about it as me writing my story. It’s God writing my story,” Payton said. “I made it eight years in the league. Most people would kill for that. If it ended after eight years, most people would kill to have an NBA career that long.
“If this is it, this is it. I’m more proud of this than anything I’ve ever accomplished. But the journey is far from over.”
(Photo: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
