The latest buzz in the basketball world comes from Shams Charania, who is reporting that point guard Cameron Payne is set to sign with the iconic New York Knicks on a one-year deal. This upcoming season will mark Payne’s 10th in the NBA, as he embarks on a new chapter with his seventh team in the league.
The Knicks have made a strategic move in free agency by adding Cameron Payne to their roster. Payne, who had a somewhat unremarkable start to his career, managed to revamp his image in the last few seasons. Standing at six-foot-three, he emerged as one of the top reserve scoring point guards during his time with the Phoenix Suns. Payne joined the Suns towards the end of the 2019-20 season and stayed with them until 2022-23, playing a total of 174 games with an average of 9.8 points and 4.2 assists per game. His shooting accuracy from downtown was notable, hitting 38.4% of his three-point attempts. Payne continued to showcase his skills when he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks and was subsequently traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2023-24 season, where he put up solid numbers of 7.4 points and 2.6 assists per game.
Interestingly, Payne’s path led him to face his new team, the Knicks, in the opening round of the playoffs in 2024 while he was playing for the 76ers. Despite the Knicks prevailing in the series, Payne’s sharpshooting abilities (8-18 on threes) may have caught the attention of his future team.
The addition of Cameron Payne raises questions about the Knicks’ point guard rotation. Jalen Brunson, the beloved starting point guard for the Knicks, is fresh off an outstanding season where he earned accolades such as finishing fifth in MVP voting and securing a spot on the All-NBA Second Team. Brunson recently inked a lucrative four-year extension worth $156.5 million, displaying his commitment to the team’s future. With Immanuel Quickley traded last season, Miles McBride stepped up as the backup point guard. McBride, at 23 years old, saw a significant improvement in his performance during the 2023-24 season, with his scoring average jumping to 8.3 points on 45.2% shooting from the field.
As the Knicks gear up for the upcoming season, the addition of Cameron Payne adds depth to their point guard rotation, creating healthy competition and strategic options for the team’s lineup. Fans eagerly await the on-court chemistry that will unfold with Payne’s arrival in the Big Apple.
