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Minutes before the NBA trade deadline, the Magic dealt Elfrid Payton to the Phoenix Suns for a second-round pick.

With the trade of Elfrid Payton, the Magic have started on a new direction in their rebuild, writes our Zach Oliver.

Our Aaron Goldstone was at Amway Center on Thursday and shares all of the notes and quotes surrounding the day’s events.

Jameer Nelson and Stan Van Gundy have been reunited in Detroit after a trade with the Bulls.

In trading Elfrid Payton, the Magic parted ways with a player they once viewed as a franchise cornerstone, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.

The Magic’s new starting point guard, D.J. Augustin, provided a boost in the Magic’s win over the Hawks, Robbins writes.

Nikola Vucevic was listed as questionable for Thursday’s game but did not play, Robbins writes.

By trading Elfrid Payton, the Magic owe Scott Skiles an apology, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.

The Magic had nothing to gain by keeping Payton, and the Suns had nothing to lose by taking him, writes David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel.

Video of Jeff Weltman’s press conference and Frank Vogel’s press conference, courtesy of OrlandoMagic.com.

Prior to the trade of Elfrid Payton, the Magic had been functioning better with D.J. Augustin and Shelvin Mack on the floor, writes John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com.

Orlando won a third straight game because Payton’s back-ups continued their solid play, Denton writes.

D.J. Augustin managed the offense well but often dribbled aimlessly and slowed the game down, earning a ‘B’ for his first performance in the post-Elfrid Payton era, writes Philip Rossman-Reich of Orlando Magic Daily.

The last minute trade of Elfrid Payton was an awful one, writes Luke Duffy of Hoops Habit.

Because of the no-risk nature of bringing in Elfrid Payton, the Suns were called one of the winners of the trade deadline by Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders handed out grades for each trade made on Thursday and he gave the Magic a ‘C’ for the Elfrid Payton deal.

Keith P. Smith of Real GM, who also gave the Magic a ‘C’ for the trade, says Elfrid Payton gets a fresh start.

Tom Ziller of SB Nation gave the Magic a ‘C-’ and said the Magic possibly could have got more for Elfrid Payton through a sign and trade.

Chris Barnewall of CBS Sports gave the Magic a ‘D’ for the trade.

Why did the Knicks choose Emmanuel Mudiay over Elfrid Payton? Marc Berman of the New York Post explains.

Coverage of the Elfrid Payton deal from our friends over at Bright Side of the Sun:

--The Suns acquired Elfrid Payton at the deadline buzzer.

-The Suns rolled the dice on Payton.

--The addition of Payton puts the Suns “over the cap.”

-An instant reaction to the Payton trade in the Locked on Suns podcast.

The Suns priority on Thursday was to acquire a point guard, and they did just that, writes Scott Bordow of Arizona Central.

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