Former NBA lottery pick Elfrid Payton lights up Raptors as emergency replacement for Australia’s Cairns Taipans

By Kels Dayton
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Updated: October 17, 2023

TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 15: Elfrid Peyton #25 of the Cairns Taipans dribbles past Gary Trent Jr. (L) #33 of the Toronto Raptors during a preseason game at Scotiabank Arena on October 15, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)

Elfrid Payton must be one of those dudes who walks around with a basketball in his backpack.

When the Cairns Taipans of Australia’s NBL needed a replacement player for their exhibition game against the Toronto Raptors on Monday, they told Payton, the 29-year-old former Orlando Magic lottery pick, to come thru.

And he did, rolling up to Scotia Bank Arena and throwing up 21 points on 10-of-19 shooting, 7 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals in 27 minutes in a 134-93 loss. He also committed five turnovers, but hey, he didn’t know any of his teammates until like five minutes before the game.

Payton signed a contract just to play in the one game, as the Taipans were hit with a rash of injuries in the lead-up to it.

“We sent out the bat signal for a little bit of help with (two players) being unavailable, and Elfrid Payton answered the call for us,” Taipans head coach Adam Forde told a reporter for the NBL before the game. “Hopefully he doesn’t get lost in transit as he makes his way here to Toronto, but excited to have him here.”

“He’s going to get a good opportunity to burn. I hope he enjoys the experience as much as we’re going to enjoy having him here.”

Elfrid Payton vs. the Raptors tonight:

21 Points
7 Rebounds
7 Assists
2 Steals
52% FG

(via @IQfor3)

pic.twitter.com/tC3En10Xkz

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 16, 2023

Seems like he did, as the eight-year NBA vet gave teams a pretty good look at his game and made his case to get back into the league. He made some highlight-reel plays, including a buzzer-beater from half court just before halftime.

Payton filled a similar need for the G League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants, affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, last season when the team was hit with injuries, signing on in February and playing in 10 games.

After being taken with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 draft and being named the coolest rookie in the class by Roundball Daily (probably the honor of his career if we’re being fair), Payton had a solid career in the league.

He averaged 10.1 points, 5.7 assists, 4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26 minutes per game over eight seasons, three-and-a-half with the Magic, one-and-a half with the Suns, two with the Knicks and one with the Pelicans. He was always a pesky defender, with good athleticism and solid passing skills. His problem was that he wasn’t an efficient shooter, and he knocked down just 28.7% of his threes in his career.

It’s possible Payton may get another chance to lace ’em up in the league– after all, he’s only 29. At the very least, he’s proven he’s ready, willing and able to come in and ball on short notice– and that’ll make kids with basketballs in their backpacks proud.