Charlotte Hornets Host Workout for Veteran Guard Elfrid Payton

In the latest round of free agent workouts, eight-year NBA veteran Elfrid Payton worked out with the Hornets.

Less than a month remains until NBA preseason begins, and the Charlotte Hornets' roster is all but complete. However, various NBA teams are still hosting workouts for veterans attempting to make their way back to the league. 

One such veteran is Elfrid Payton, who the Hornets recently hosted for a workout. The eight-year NBA vet was the 10th overall draft selection back in 2014. Picked by the Philadelphia 76ers, he was traded to the Orlando Magic on draft night, where he would spend the first three and a half seasons of his career. 

From there, Payton spent time with the Suns, Pelicans, and Knicks, while dealing with a fair amount of injury trouble. He joined Osos de Manati of the increasingly popular Puerto Rican league for the 2022-23 season. Now, he seeks a return to the NBA. 

Late offseason workouts like the one Payton participated in are far from uncommon. For a player like him who has been out of the league for many months, it is a chance for team personnel to re-evaluate their game and see if and where they belong on an NBA roster. 

Payton is a 6-foot-3 guard who operates best at point guard. For his career, he averages 10.1 points and 5.7 assists. With Charlotte losing Dennis Smith Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets in free agency this summer, they may want to consider picking up Elfrid Payton to give them some additional depth at guard. 

Training camp will begin for the Charlotte Hornets on October 3.