An excellent 2-way player, Payton, effects the game in a number of ways both offensively and defensively. He is a tough, gritty defender who has a knack for forcing steals and turning defense into offense, and he also rebounds the ball very well from the guard position. Payton is efficient attacking the paint, where he can finish through contact, or dump it off to a teammate for an open look. He plays with good energy and has a solid stroke from the outside.