Pacers Cut Ties with Key Guard Despite Major Injury Issues at the Position

May 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) in the second quarter during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers have opted to waive a potentially critical offseason signing, just days before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season.

More news: Pacers Guard Suffers Scary Head Injury in Preseason Opener

Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star reports that Indiana has opted to waive training camp addition Cameron Payne, who had been on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 deal.

All told, the veteran point guard spent just nine days with Indiana after agreeing to a deal earlier this month. Indiana had initially brought Payne in to supplement normal backup point guard T.J. McConnell, who's out for a bit with a hamstring strain.

The Pacers had inked another ex-Knicks guard, Delon Wright, to help add some bench depth — until Wright incurred a head injury during Indiana's October 7 preseason road victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Indiana cut him after the injury, replacing him with Payne.

Doomed By A Lackluster Preseason

But Payne proved erratic in the preseason, and even without McConnell for a bit or All-NBA starter Tyrese Haliburton for the entire season, head coach Rick Carlisle clearly wanted something different from team president Kevin Pritchard's team-building.

In his three preseason stints for Indiana, Payne notched averages of 6.7 points on 28.6 percent shooting from the field (30.6 percent from deep), while Indiana posted a brutal -47 plus-minus during his 51 cumulative minutes on the court.

More news: Pacers Cut Ties With Guard After Scary Injury, Sign 10-Year Vet

The 31-year-old journeyman is well-traveled. He was selected with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and failed to develop enough in time there or with his next squad, the Chicago Bulls. But the 6-foot-2 pro showed signs of life with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019, before ultimately blossoming as Chris Paul's backup on the NBA Finals-bound Phoenix Suns in 2020-21.

Since 2023, Payne has played a key reserve role for the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, and New York Knicks. Across 477 career contests, Payne boasts averages of 7.8 points on .419/.368/.836 shooting splits, 3.2 dimes, 2.0 boards and 0.6 swipes a night in 17.5 minutes per.

While backing up Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride as the third-stringer on the 51-win Knicks last year, Payne averaged 6.9 points on .401/.363/.907 shooting splits, 2.8 dishes, 1.4 rebounds and 0.5 swipes a night.

The Pacers later confirmed the news.

We have waived guards Cam Payne, Kyle Guy, and forward Ray Spalding.

Learn more: https://t.co/TCYovdhI4w pic.twitter.com/t1dJQabpkN

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) October 18, 2025

Indiana also has cut guard Kyle Guy and forward Ray Spalding, although neither of those players appeared to have a realistic path towards actually being named to Rick Carlisle's 15-man standard roster, unlike Payne.

For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.