Realistic Expectations for Elfrid Payton’s Rookie Season with Orlando Magic

July 19th, 2014 by Kurt Jonke Leave a reply »

Elfrid Payton has a promising future with the Orlando Magic. The No. 10 pick of the 2014 NBA draft boasts a lot of potential and is their only true point guard, now that Jameer Nelson is gone. The question remains: What can fans realistically expect from the talented rookie in his first season?

Payton finds himself in a great situation.

Prior to the draft, Orlando had several young options at any given position—except at the 1. The lack of a playmaker besides Nelson was painfully obvious whenever Victor Oladipo had to bring the ball. Last year's runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors turned the ball over way too many times to be considered an effective point guard.

Nelson was an important part of the Magic. He handled the ball, distributed it and all the while mentored his younger teammates.

Now he's gone.

While the team may suffer from his absence as a whole, Payton will see many minutes as a result. He could have benefited from the veteran's guidance, but the increased playing time coming his way will be very helpful for his development.

Payton is bound to make rookie mistakes&m ...

Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
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