Shams Charania reports that point guard Cameron Payne is signing a one-year deal with the New York Knicks. This will be Payne’s 10th NBA season and the Knicks will be his seventh team.
Knicks Add Cameron Payne in Free Agency
Rebuilt His Image in Last Few Seasons
The 29-year-old Payne started his career with some viewing him as a draft bust. He was selected 14th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2015 NBA Draft but was traded to the Chicago Bulls midway through his second season. With Oklahoma City, Payne averaged just 5.1 points and 1.9 assists, shooting 38.5% from the field and 31.9% from three-point range.
After a lackluster start, the six-foot-three Payne emerged as a solid reserve scoring point guard with the Phoenix Suns. He joined Phoenix for nine games at the end of the 2019-20 season and played with them through 2022-23. In his 174 games with the Suns, Payne averaged 9.8 points and 4.2 assists, with double-digit scoring averages in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He also maintained nearly a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and hit 38.4% of his three-point attempts.
Payne signed with the Milwaukee Bucks before the 2023-24 season and was later traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. Last season, Payne appeared in 78 games, averaging 7.4 points and 2.6 assists in 16.7 minutes per game, with shooting splits of .432/.390/.866. Notably, Payne’s 76ers faced the Knicks in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs, where his strong outside shooting (8-18 on threes for the series) may have caught New York’s eye.
Free agent guard Cam Payne has agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million deal with the New York Knicks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/r7wuw1HuMM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 15, 2024
What Does The Knicks Point Guard Rotation Look Like After Cameron Payne Signing?
The Knicks’ starting point guard is Jalen Brunson, coming off a career-best 2023-24 season where he finished fifth in MVP voting and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. He recently signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension. After trading Immanuel Quickley last season, the Knicks used Miles McBride as Brunson’s backup. McBride posted a breakout year in his third NBA season, increasing his scoring average to 8.3 points on 45.2% shooting.
The Knicks also drafted Tyler Kolek, the 34th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Kolek, 23, led the nation with 7.7 assists per game as a senior at Marquette. He signed a four-year, $6.6 million deal with New York, the most guaranteed money ever for a second-round pick.
McBride can play shooting guard, potentially allowing Payne or Kolek to see more action. The Knicks’ playoff injuries highlighted the need for more depth, ensuring head coach Tom Thibodeau has reliable players for crucial games.
