American reporter: Sacramento Kings lock in veteran point guard Elfrid Payton for a one-year minimum contract.

According to a report by HoopsHype reporter Michael Scotto on Wednesday, Elfrid Payton has agreed to join the Sacramento Kings. He will receive a one-year, non-guaranteed minimum salary contract and will strive to secure a spot on the regular season roster.

Payton has played in the G League with the Austin Spurs since 2025, averaging 6.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will be playing his tenth NBA season with the Sacramento Kings.

Payton, 32, is a 6'6" (1.91m) and 88kg (48kg) point guard who entered the league in 2014 as the 10th overall pick in the first round. He has played for several teams, including the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, and Charlotte Hornets. In his career, he has played a total of 524 regular season games, averaging 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 26.5 minutes per game, with a field goal percentage of 44.4% and a three-point percentage of 28.6%.

Payton also played 4 times in the playoffs, averaging 1.3 points and 1.0 assists in 5.3 minutes per game, shooting 2-for-8 from the field and 1-for-2 from three-point range.

For the Kings, this signing aims to bring in a veteran who can mentor Darius Akaff. Besides Payton, the Kings have previously been linked with nine-time All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook and two-time NBA All-Star guard Victor Oladipo.

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