Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough pulls off a great trade that lands the club a quality starting point guard in Elfrid Payton.
All hope appeared to be lost right before the NBA trade deadline. Phoenix Suns fans might have been ready for the team to tank heavily during the last stretch of the season if no trade occured. However, right before the deadline ended fans were delighted to hear that the Suns acquired Elfrid Payton from the Orlando Magic.
Orlando has traded Elfrid Payton to Phoenix for a second-round pick, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 8, 2018
Suns’ general manager Ryan McDonough was able to execute a wonderful trade for a starting level point guard. The pick traded was the one that the Suns got in the Troy Daniels trade from the Memphis Grizzlies. Payton has been developing into a quality point guard over his career.
| Season | Age | Tm | Pos | G | GS | MP | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 20 | ORL | PG | 82 | 63 | 30.4 | .425 | .262 | .435 | .433 | .551 | 4.3 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 8.9 |
| 2015-16 | 21 | ORL | PG | 73 | 69 | 29.4 | .436 | .326 | .451 | .456 | .589 | 3.6 | 6.4 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 10.7 |
| 2016-17 | 22 | ORL | PG | 82 | 58 | 29.4 | .471 | .274 | .509 | .493 | .692 | 4.7 | 6.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 12.8 |
| 2017-18 | 23 | ORL | PG | 44 | 44 | 28.6 | .520 | .373 | .545 | .547 | .632 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 13.0 |
| Career | 281 | 234 | 29.5 | .458 | .305 | .480 | .477 | .615 | 4.2 | 6.4 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 11.1 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/8/2018.
Payton is a definite upgrade for the Suns over Tyler Ulis. This season alone shows the huge gap between the two playmakers.
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The fact that McDonough got a starting caliber point guard for a second round pick is purely mind blowing. The pairing of Payton and Devin Booker together should get Suns’ fans very excited. With Payton on the roster, Booker can focus on scoring which is what he does best and Booker won’t have so much playmaking responsibilities.
The Suns get Payton’s rights as a result of the trade so this will help retain Payton beyond this season as he is set to be a restricted free agent this offseason. If Payton blooms in Phoenix, the Suns will be able to give him a qualifying offer sheet worth $4.5 million. Payton has the potential to be a long term solution at point guard and will help the Suns immediately with the problem with depth at the position.
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Phoenix Suns’ fans should give McDonough plenty of credit for acquiring a potentially good player for very little. The Suns may still end up with a top lottery pick this summer even with the acquisition of Payton. However, this move allows the Suns a short term solution and possible long term option at point guard while giving the team flexibility going into the offseason. Payton’s play and fit with the roster will majorly influence the Suns’ plans moving forward.