NEW ORLEANS – Former Louisiana standout Elfrid Payton opens the 2018-19 NBA season as the lone former Sun Belt men's basketball player on the league’s active opening-night rosters when the regular season tips off Tuesday night.
Payton enters his fifth NBA season as member of the New Orleans Pelicans. He signed a free-agent deal with the team on July 9 after playing the 2017-18 season with the Orlando Magic (44 games) and Phoenix Suns (19 games). The Pelicans open the season on the road Wednesday, Oct. 17 against the Houston Rockets. Tipoff is set for 7 p.