Anyone else getting some Steve Nash vibes from Elfrid Payton in a Suns jersey? No? Just me? Fine. Payton already has half the amount of triple-doubles in Phoenix that Nash did during his whole time there, so I can see why the comparison might fall a little flat. Also, Dragan Bender is no Amar’e.
The Payton experiment has been a success so far in Phoenix. He’s put some numbers, which is good to see, but most importantly, they haven’t won any games that he’s played in. Stats are important, but losses are even more so. The Suns played well enough to hang with the Jazz until the end, and that’s good enough. No need to jeopardize the tank with a moral victory in the form of a real victory. Better to have a moral victory in a close loss.
I was skeptical of the chemistry he and Devin Booker would be able to cultivate, but first returns look good on that front as well. Maybe Booker will benefit from having a teammate who can actually find him in his spots once in a while?