Jefferson grad Adreian Payne lands with new NBA team

Dayton native Adreian Payne has a new team – actually two – for the upcoming basketball season.

The Jefferson High School graduate signed a two-way contract with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.

Payne, 26, played in 18 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, averaging 3.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.

He also logged three games with the Erie Bayhawks in the NBA’s developmental league, which is now known as the G League.

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Two-way contracts are new to the NBA this year and allow an NBA team to control a player’s rights while he plays in the developmental league. He cannot spend more than 45 minutes with the Magic in the NBA this season, so most of his minutes figure to come with the Lakeland Magic of the G League.

Former Dayton Flyer Charles Cooke is also among the first players to sign a two-way contract, joining the New Orleans Pelicans organization.

After playing at Michigan State, Payne was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks in 2014.

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