In Phoenix, Elfrid Payton has a chance to prove himself again

Elfrid Payton’s career in Orlando was a constant source of consternation. Few players have been more polarizing during the Magic’s rebuild, in terms of his contributions to winning. Can a team win with a point guard that can’t shoot? How much did his defense hurt the team? What kind of players would fit around him? Even as his individual stats continued to improve, faith in his ability to lead the team seemed to wane. Ultimately, the new front office—a group that was not responsible for drafting him and therefore was less invested in his success—decided that he was not the point guard of the future.

In Phoenix, Payton has another chance to demonstrate that he’s a starting-caliber guard, even…