NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks' Elfrid Payton drawing interest from teams in playoff contention

The New York Knicks have several dispensable players on their roster and the latest NBA trade rumors suggest that Elfrid Payton is in the spotlight. Payton was waived by the Knicks prior to the start of the 2020-21 season before being re-signed again.

The New York Knicks have a plethora of point guards on their payroll including Elfrid Payton who's on an expiring deal. GM Leon Rose could be looking to move him prior to the NBA trade deadline and luckily for him, Payton is drawing some consideration from other teams. As per SNY's Ian Begley, the 26-year-old could move to another playoff hopeful this season.

"At least one team in playoff contention has shown interest in Elfrid Payton," Begley said. "They wanted to bolster their backcourt and they thought Payton was a potential target so that's something to keep an eye on."

The New York Knicks only recently traded for Derrick Rose so you can expect him to get a good chunk of playing time. They also wouldn't want to limit opportunities for rookie point guard Immanuel Quickley who's increasingly looking like a potential cornerstone for the franchise. That makes Elfrid Payton's contract a luxury.

Lmao Knicks trade for Derrick Rose and suddenly Elfrid Payton starts pushing the pace what a random development

— Bootum (@DaRealBootum) February 10, 2021

NBA Trade Rumors: Elfrid Payton set for another separation from New York Knicks?

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau (middle)

Elfrid Payton has been the starting point guard for the New York Knicks this season. Despite his defensive deficiencies, Payton has held on to his spot in the rotation so far while averaging 11.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game. Payton is owed $5 million this year and that could be an issue considering he's unlikely to be anything more than a bench player for a playoff team.

listen i still trust the Knicks’ vision, but watching Elfrid Payton attempt more shots than Barrett and Quickley combined in a tight game has me unnecessarily stressed on a sunday.

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 7, 2021

The New York Knicks could potentially be happy with just a second-rounder for him as they need to clear minutes for the other guards on their team. They'd also want to shave off that salary. But most teams in the hunt for a postseason spot could look at a player on a minimum deal instead.

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