Pelicans' Elfrid Payton to Undergo Surgery on Finger Injury, Miss 6 Weeks

The New Orleans Pelicans announced Monday guard Eflrid Payton will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair a fractured left fifth finger, which he originally injured in Friday's game against the New York Knicks.

The recovery will reportedly take about six weeks. 

Payton had already been dealing with an ankle injury before fracturing his finger, limiting his season to just six games so far.

This limited action might be the worst-case scenario for the point guard, who signed just a one-year deal with the Pelicans in the offseason worth $3 million. 

The 24-year-old hit free agency after failing to prove himself in four seasons with the Orlando Magic. He was traded to the Phoenix Suns last February and didn't do enough to earn another deal there either.

He had shown flashes while averaging 11.2 points and 6.4 assists per game in his first four years, but Payton still needed to show more consistency on the one-year deal before potentially getting a bigger deal next offseason. His 9.7 points, 5.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game are a good start, but the injury represents a significant setback.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans will lose a player who has started every game he has played this season.

Jrue Holiday will once again spend more time on the ball, while Ian Clark and Tim Frazier should see extra minutes off the bench.