One of the New York Knicks' newest acquisitions via free agency is point guard Efrid Payton. The 25-year-old floor general has had a strong 2018-19 season with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he averaged 10.6 points, 7.6 assists, and 5.2 rebounds. However, as the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, it's safe to say that he hasn't lived up to the expectations, as he already spent five years in the NBA.

Payton signed a one-year deal with the Knicks recently, with the goal of proving himself to the rest of the league. He recently had a sit-down interview with HoopsHype's Alex Kennedy, where he explained the reason for agreeing to a short-term deal with New York.

“Playing time was a factor and it depended on the deal. I obviously don’t mind playing on a one-year deal – I did it last year and I feel like I did just fine – but when you’re in a situation where you’re on a one-year deal, you have to be able to play to showcase what you can do. If you’re on a one-year deal and you don’t play, then your hands are kind of tied, you feel me? I also looked at the coaching and playing style. Does the team like to run and get up-and-done the floor? Are there other guys who care about defense? What’s the system that they’re trying to run? Then, lastly, it’s just the overall roster and fit; do the players on that team kind of complement what I do? When I was going through the whole roster and talking to Julius [Randle], who played a big part in this, I just felt like it was a good fit.”

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Payton is expected to be the Knicks' backup point guard behind Dennis Smith Jr. He will definitely get an opportunity to shine in one of the biggest franchises in the league, and he will definitely do his best to make the most out of it.

He wasn't able to build the career that he and most people wanted and expected, but for Payton, it's still not too late to be recognized as an elite point guard. He's still in the early stages of his career, and if he can maximize his time with the Knicks, it's possible that the next contract he'll sign, is a long-term one.

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