It's been a tumultuous little off-season for Cameron Payne. After being traded by the Suns to the Spurs, he was waived earlier in the week. He'll be looking for a new home for a result, but particularly after the last game in the NBA he played there will no doubt be a number of suitors. Payne is no superstar and won't be more than a back-up point guard on virtually any team in the league, but his 31-point explosion in Game 6 of the Suns' series loss to the Nuggets last season proved that he's certainly still got something to offer at the NBA level. These are three of the top landing spots for the 29-year-old.
1. Milwaukee Bucks
After playing 42 playoff games across his last three seasons with the Suns, Cameron Payne feels like the kind of guy destined to head to a contender as a back-up option, and the Bucks could be one of the best fits for him. Obviously they have a number of high-level guys who can handle the ball, with each of Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo spending a lot of time with the rock in their hands. But in terms of a back-up point guard, there aren't a whole lot of options.
At present, the Bucks' point guard depth chart is pretty grim, with AJ Green, Lindell Washington and Andre Jackson Jr coming in behind Holiday. The latter was just drafted in the second round, and the former two have played less than 40 games each. Payne would provide some valuable experience coming off the bench as someone who can facilitate the offense for a period of time, while his reasonable outside shooting means he could play alongside his more established teammates off the ball, too.
2. Boston Celtics
The Celtics haven't exactly been short of a guard over the last few years, with Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White helping out Tatum and Brown with the ball-handling duties. But with Smart now gone they may very well have room for one more, and Cameron Payne could be a good option to fill that void. Payton Pritchard will be the name that the Celtics are hoping steps up in Smart's absence and their desire to develop him may preclude them from signing Payne, but Pritchard's ability to meaningfully contribute at NBA is not yet established and Payne would certainly provide a more robust option. The Celtics will also be expecting to be in the championship conversation this year, so as it may with the Bucks, Payne's recent playoff experience could be a major factor.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves aren't exactly at the same stage as the aforementioned contenders, but a little bit of added depth at the point guard position could certainly help them out as they attempt to work their way up the Western Conference standings. Mike Conley is their starting point guard and will do a bulk of the work running the offense, but at 35 a little help for him would certainly be beneficial. Jordan McLaughlin is their most traditional back-up point guard option, but Payne would almost certainly be a more productive option than him. The Timberwolves also have Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Shake Milton, but both of them are more suited to playing off ball or at best in a combo role, rather than as the primary facilitator.
Cameron Payne's explosion in his last game with the Suns didn't change the fact that he's no superstar, but it was indicative of the fact that he's a more than capable player in the NBA. He has the capacity to be one of the more productive back-up point guards in the league, and the above three teams are among his best potential landing spots.
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