The New Orleans Pelicans need bright spots and good news wherever they can be found. There are few silver linings to be celebrated going into the holiday season considering the injuries to Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram. Willie Green’s squad is mostly sitting on the sidelines, waiting to be cleared for action by the medical staff. Fortunately, the Pelicans found a serviceable backup right around the corner from the Smoothie King Center in Elfrid Payton.
Where can a coach start when it comes to addressing a 128-100 blowout on the road when most of the team never suited up in a uniform? Highlighting local talent that represents the best of what the region can offer is always a good look. Green went with Payton’s return to an NBA court in the cooling-off post-game media session.
“Start with Elfrid. It’s been two seasons so we’re extremely proud of him for having the resiliency that it takes, the faith that it takes to stick with it,” Green explained. “I’m extremely grateful that (the Pelicans) could be in a position to get him back in the NBA. It’s actually where he belongs. (Payton) is an NBA point guard.”
“(Payton) was great, to have not played in an NBA game going on two seasons,” continued Green. “To be able to step on the floor and have such a command of the offense and control over what’s going on on the floor. He had some early turnovers. That’s rust but eight assists, finding guys on time and on target. He is a really good defender and can rebound. It was good to have him on the floor. We needed him.”
Payton’s presence around the team since training camp helped the newest point guard get on the same page with others rather quickly. Still, any team missing Williamson, Ingram, McCollum, Murray, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III is going to have chemistry issues. Most of the preseason process was built around those foundational pieces after all.
So, sure, picking up things on the fly is bound to cause some headaches. Green is no stranger to early-season struggles though, and these trying times shall pass eventually.
“This is definitely difficult,” Green allowed. “It’s challenges involved in it. It’s hard but when you’re in adversity, when you are facing these difficult moments, for us it’s stay steady. Stay consistent and eventually, it turns. This makes us stronger. It’s hard to go through it. Nobody wants to go through the hard moments in life. But the only way to get through it is to get through it and we are. I’m super proud of our guys, how they’ve continued to stick together.”
Elfrid Payton stuck with his dream and it landed the University of Louisiana-Lafayette product with the hometown team. Amid a losing season, that is something any local fan can be proud of considering the circumstances.
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