Stay or Go: Examining if Knicks should bring back Elfrid Payton for 2021-22 NBA season?

In this series, we'll look at whether or not Leon Rose and the Knicks should let these players stay -- or let them walk. We'll focus this time on Elfrid Payton...

CONTRACT: 1 year/$4.77 million contract expiring this summer.

Why should Payton stay?

Making the case for a Payton-New York Knicks reunion is as difficult as playing All Madden difficulty mode on Madden NFL. The only way Payton makes it back is if the Knicks lost Derrick Rose in free agency and were unable to find a starting level point guard in free agency that wanted to play in New York because they either dislike the weather, New York City or those black city uniforms.

Payton’s counting statistics were similar to his first season. His on/off stats (-3.0 net rating) were exactly the same as his first season. One could make the argument that he’s the same player he was a few years ago. He’s not on the decline.

Payton’s struggles were exacerbated by the internal improvement (Julius Randle and RJ Barrett) and external improvement (acquisitions of Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel) of the roster. It’s also safe to say that Payton looked like a better option when his competition was Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina.

Now that the team seems more in the space of a playoff contender rather than a rebuilding team, Payton’s place on the roster is a bit murky. Payton was essentially an innings eater at the point guard position, but was a liability as a starter. He could maintain that role as a third point guard next year on an even lower salary, but there is the possibility that he could find a better deal and role on the free agent market.

Why should Payton go?

Payton might be the easiest pending free agent on the roster to move on from. As this past season progressed, Payton’s minutes consistently declined to the point where he rarely played in fourth quarters despite being a starter.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau attempted to keep Payton in the starting lineup for as long as possible despite numerous calls for the guard to stick to the pine. By the postseason, Thibodeau only played Payton 13 minutes in the first two games of New York’s first round series matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. Payton was replaced by Rose as starter and never played again through the final three games.

As the Knicks have discovered, they need prime perimeter shooting and playmaking around Randle. Payton is incapable of providing that. A career 28.9% from the three-point line, the point guard has never been able to evolve in that facet of the game. Though he's solid, Payton has proved to be inconsistent on the defensive end.

The three-man lineup of Randle, Barrett and Payton was outscored by 2.4 points per 100 possessions in 1316 minutes. When rookie Immanuel Quickley was paired with Randle and Barrett, the Knicks outscored the opposition by 11.0 points per 100 possessions. With Rose in Payton’s place the trio was plus 11.1 points per 100 possessions in 404 minutes.

As Rose and Quickley’s ability to create shots and shoot from the perimeter was a better fit with Randle and Barrett, the Knicks need to prioritize finding the right mix at the point guard spot and that doesn’t involve Payton.

What’s the right move?

Letting Payton go seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. There are plenty of potential options at the point guard position on the free agent market. Big names include Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Mike Conley, Lonzo Ball and Dennis Schroder.

With the Knicks having loads of cap space, and a more attractive culture and situation for free agents, it’s hard to envision Payton returning. That’s what’s best for both parties as Payton probably would find a better fit on a team with better perimeter shooting in the frontcourt and more opportunities to create off the bounce in a bench role.