Magic Hand the Keys to Rookie Point Guard Elfrid Payton

No disrespect to Andrew Wiggins, who can fly like a young Tracy McGrady and defend like a future Scottie Pippen.

No disrespect to Jabari Parker, who can score like Carmelo Anthony and is our pick to win Rookie of the Year next season.

And nothing against Julius Randle, Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon, or any of the other mega-prospects who will likely be lighting up the league for the next 10 years.

But Orlando Magic point guard Elfrid Payton is the coolest player in the NBA’s new rookie class.

It’s not just his hair, which is perfect for his Louisiana roots and makes him look like an awesome, even more Rasta version of Sideshow Bob.

It’s not just the fact that he went to Louisiana-Lafayette and played for the Ragin’ Cajuns, a cool team in a small conference that he almost singlehandedly carried to the Big Dance this past March.

Nope. It’s his soft-spoken, grown-up game that makes him the man, the one that was on full display in the NBA Summer League in Orlando.

“Payton is good, man,” NBA TV analyst Isiah Thomas said. “I mean, Payton is just really, really good. Everything about him is just solid.”

On Monday, Payton lit up the Houston Rockets’ summer league squad, going for 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in Orlando’s 87-69 win.

He shook defenders with a killer crossover move, broke away for a couple of effortlessly athletic dunks and harassed the living hell out of whoever brought the ball upcourt for the Rockets.

Payton followed that with a plus-12 performance Tuesday against the Grizzlies, notching six points, three assists and two steals.

For the week, Payton averaged 9.2 points, 7.0 assists and 5.2 rebounds in 25.8 minutes over five games. He shot nearly 60 percent (16-of-27) and added 1.4 steals.

With his long, 6-4 frame and boundless energy, the 20-year-old Payton is going to be a pest on the defensive end for the Magic. He and last year’s No. 2 overall pick Victor Oladipo have the potential to be one of the most disruptive defensive backcourts in the league.

“We just talk about getting better, each and every day,” Payton told NBA TV. “Working hard, and playing defense. Defense is what is going to win us games.”

A handful of observers have drawn similarities between Payton and Portland Trail Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard. Both operated under the radar in small conferences before showing they had the goods in their final college season, elevating himself into the lottery.

After grabbing Gordon with the fourth overall pick, the Magic made it clear how much they wanted Payton. They returned a future first-round pick to Philadelphia that was acquire in the Dwight Howard trade to move up two spots and select him.

Orlando took another bold step in its commitment to Payton with a buyout of beloved veteran point guard Jameer Nelson, who had spent his entire 10-year career in the Magic Kingdom.

Right now, Payton is the only true point guard on the roster. It certainly looks like he’s going to have a major impact on the Magic next season.

Payton may not be Wiggins or Parker, whose matchup Friday in Las Vegas filled the gym to the brim. He may not even be Dante Exum, whom the Magic passed on for Gordon.

But Payton remains the most dangerous under-the-radar rookie coming into the NBA next season.

And that’s pretty cool.

Kels Dayton is a freelance writer whose work has also appeared in SLAM Magazine. You can check out more of his work at RoundballDaily.com. Follow him on Twitter @RoundballDaily.