Pelicans make Elfrid Payton decision amid CJ McCollum, Dejounte Murray injury returns
Yesterday at 05:44 PM
The New Orleans Pelicans’ injury woes are lightening up. This leaves the team with decisions to make regarding the players that stepped up in the absence of guards CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray. And in the case of Elfrid Payton, the decision from the team on Tuesday was to waive the veteran guard, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“The New Orleans Pelicans are waiving guard Elfrid Payton, sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote. “Payton averaged 6.7 points, 6.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds in seven games for the Pelicans — including a 14-point, 21-assist performance on Nov. 25.”
The seven games in New Orleans were Payton’s first at the NBA level since the 2021-22 season, when he averaged 11.0 minutes per game for the Suns. The statement performance Charania alluded to came in the team’s 114-110 loss to the Indiana Pacers on November 25. Payton had fans of all NBA teams buzzing on social media with his resurgence.
Payton’s departure from Pelicans marks potential turning point
Payton did everything the Pelicans asked of him when they called him up from the G-League. With several starting guards injured, he gave the team earnest veteran guard play. But with Murray and McCollum back from injuries, Payton’s role dwindled majorly. After playing only 17 minutes in the team’s 118-85 blowout loss to his former Knicks, the guard played just six minutes during Monday night’s 124-112 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
It’s understandable for general manager David Griffin to waive Payton. It’s an acknowledgement that neither party is optimizing their time with the veteran sitting on the bench. But the team needs the move to mark an inflection point in its season.
The Pelicans are dead last in the Western Conference. They have lost nine straight games. As a result, they sit at 4-18 and have only won one game out of their last ten. The team is 1-11 on the road this season. The list goes on.
With Brandon Ingram apparently willing to jump ship in search of a new contract, Griffin’s vision seems to have just been a mirage. Unless Willie Green and the Pelicans can turn things around now, the team is in danger of having its season become another full of disappointment.
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