The Phoenix Suns entered the 2022-23 season under a lot of pressure. In 2020-21, the Suns got very close to a title but fell to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals. Last season, Phoenix had the best record in the league at 64-18. However, the team suffered a blowout loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals. There were also signs of a beef between Deandre Ayton and Monty Williams, but the team brought Ayton back as a restricted free agent.
Now, the Suns are 8-4 and fourth in the West, just a half-game behind the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, and Utah Jazz. Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Ayton, and Mikal Bridges are leading the Suns, with Cam Johnson also playing well before his unfortunate knee injury.
After all the drama, Phoenix looks poised for another strong season. But with CP3 at 37 years old, the window to win a championship with this core is closing. Paul is averaging a career-low 9.5 points while shooting 36.8% from the field and 27.3% on 3-pointers.
With Paul's scoring declining, others need to step up. Luckily for Suns fans, another guard is doing just that. With that said, here is one pleasant surprise for the Phoenix Suns early in the 2022-23 NBA season.
Cameron Payne
During the 2019-20 season, it seemed Cameron Payne's career in the NBA was almost over. After short stints on multiple teams, the guard signed a contract in China. Then, he returned to the United States to join the G League.
Surprisingly, Phoenix gave him a chance in the NBA bubble, and he did not disappoint. On 49-52-86 shooting splits, Payne helped the Suns go 8-0 in the restart of the season.
His contributions helped him earn a spot in the rotation for the next two seasons. Payne played an important role during the team's 2020-21 Finals run, including two starts when Paul was out. Unfortunately, he could not replicate his performances in the 2022 playoffs.
Payne averaged just 4.2 points and shot 29.7% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc. He scored in double figures only once in 13 games and was even out of the rotation by the end of the season.
While it looked like he was taking a step back, the 2022-23 season is proving doubters wrong. Payne is averaging a career-best 12.1 points, 3.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 21.0 minutes a night. He is making 44.7% of his field goals and 41.3% from 3-point land. Most importantly, he is stepping up for Paul.
The veteran missed the team's last two games with a heel injury. In that stretch, Payne boasted averages of 22.5 points, 6.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds. His shooting splits are 50-47-100. That includes the loss on the road to the Orlando Magic, where he led the team with 22 points.
As opposed to Paul, Payne is bringing speed and quickness to Phoenix when he plays. The Suns are playing at a pace of 100.16 with the Murray State product on the court. On the other hand, it's at 97.94 with Paul, who's known for being more deliberate. With Payne controlling the ball, Phoenix is quicker, forcing defenders to adapt and be ready in transition.
Having a backup point guard like Cameron Payne is a must for any contender. Head coach Monty Williams should have more liberty to rest Paul throughout the regular season knowing his sixth man can handle the business. Even if Paul regresses more until the playoffs, Payne could be the secret weapon for the Suns' offense when defenses are focusing on Booker or the other key players.
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