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2024 Free Agents - Cameron Payne

Summary
After falling out of the league, Payne revived his career at the end of the '19-'20 season, looking like a legitimate backup point guard for the Suns as they went undefeated in the Orlando bubble. Payne shot the lights out with a 62.3% eFG%. Because of the small sample size, there was certainly some doubt that Payne would be able to continue that level of play going forward.

Payne put up really good numbers in the following season in '20-'21. He shot 45% from three and was also effective at the rim and from floater range. In the playoffs, Payne was a little up-and-down throughout the 2021 playoffs, but had some huge games when Chris Paul was either struggling with his shoulder against the Lakers or in health and safety protocols against the Clippers.

However, he has not been as effective in the past few seasons, hitting 37% from three and struggling to finish at the rim and from floater range. Considering other outlier shooting seasons noted in the bubble and the empty arenas in '20-'21, it's fair to have some concern over Payne's efficiency going forward.

Payne is a dynamic point guard that can score off-the-dribble or spotting up. He has good change of pace to create space. Payne isn't afraid to shoot pull-up threes in pick-and-roll, and has solid touch to hit the roller on lobs or pocket passes. He has the quickness to get all the way to the rim, but also has solid touch on floaters or short midrange jumpers. 

Payne has decent enough size to play next to another point guard. He may get targeted on defense due to his thin frame, especially if he tries to defend wings, but that worry diminishes if he mostly plays against second units. Payne as shown he can be a solid backup point guard, but with some of hit recent shooting regression he could fall back into more of the category of average back-up point guard, and someone that is not much above replacement level. He had some decent games for the 76ers, including in the playoffs, as a microwave scorer off the bench.
 
Cap Considerations
Payne will be an unrestricted free agent with a $2.1 million cap hold and Non-Bird Rights. This means that the highest starting salary the 76ers could offer him using the Non-Bird Exception is $3.6 million. This could be enough to retain Payne, since he settled for the minimum last summer. Alternatively, the 76ers could use cap space or their their Mid-Level Exception or Bi-Annual Exception (if available) to re-sign Payne if he demands more than $3.6 million. 

Other teams will have multiple ways to sign Payne as even teams without cap space could possibly use the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Room MLE, or possibly even the Taxpayer MLE or Bi-Annual Exception to sign him. It's also likely that Payne only gets minimum offers, and he may not even get fully-guaranteed offers.

Potential Teams: 76ers, Heat, Warriors, Clippers, Mavericks

Predicted Contract: 1-year, $3 million ($2.1 million cap hit) with the 76ers

Actual Contract: 1-year, $3 million ($2.1 million cap hit) with the Knicks

Payne signed a minimum contract with New York. I don't expect him to be in the regular rotation, but could be a nice insurance policy if Jalen Brunson or Miles McBride miss any time.

Last updated: 7/16/2024

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