Cam Payne Cut, But Spurs Aren't Done Yet
SAN ANTONIO - One down and at least two more to go. The San Antonio Spurs have waived veteran guard Cam Payne just a couple of months after absorbing his contract in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. The fun things I have been planning to do with the name "Cam Payne" will just have to stay in the cutting room.
Meanwhile, the Spurs will have to release two more players to get to the NBA required fifteen players. Get used to this sort of end of the roster coming and going as the club figures out its future with Victor Wembanyama as the new centerpiece of the franchise.
"Can he play with Wemby?" will be the first question asked by Spurs personnel before bringing anyone else to San Antonio. In the case of Payne, we'll never know.
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But who could be next on the chopping block?
The finger first points to the other trade acquisitions from the offseason, Cedi Osman and Reggie Bullock. Both were acquired in separate trades, but make a fair amount of money. That being said, Payne was on the books this season for $6.5 million, and he got the boot ... Osman makes $6.7 million.
Bullock is probably a little bit safer at $10 million and is more likely to be an in-season trade candidate than someone cut before the start of the year.
Another option is center Khem Birch, who was acquired for Jakob Poeltl in February. Birch is due for $6.9 million next season and will struggle to find playing time as a player in his 30s on a rebuilding team.
Out of the younger players, Charles Bassey and Sandro Mamukelashvili are the likeliest candidates, but it will be hard to pass on either player due to upside. Bassey broke his patellar tendon in March, so he is the likelier player to be cut before the season, but could maybe stick around and fill the final two-way player slot for the team.
