Spurs Trade Acquisition Cam Payne Helps Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio
MAY 11 — Phoenix Suns guard Cam Payne sits behind a microphone during his post-game media availability following his team's Game 6 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
His left hand sits propping up his face as his downcast demeanor reveals the obvious frustration he feels. His team, after making serious roster changes and adding a future Hall-of-Famer, had just been eliminated from the NBA playoffs. Again.
Had it been an option, Payne likely wouldn't have picked to sit in that chair, facing a dozen reporters all looking to capture his emotions. But did he have that choice? He'd done it plenty of times before following a loss, after all, but this particular night was different. To him, it felt like déjà vu ... and not in a good way.
"[Losing tonight] hurt," Payne said, pounding his fist against the table 10 times. "It hurt big time, especially with our team, in front of the fans ... that's not us. We did the same thing last year, [too]. It's not a good feeling. I just wish it had would've been closer."
The veteran didn't have much to do with his team's loss, finishing the game with 31 points on 77 percent shooting from the field. He did his part, but still the Suns lost by 25 points in an elimination game, keeping them out of the Western Conference Finals.
Sound familiar?
It did to Payne, who was there when the Suns suffered their largest playoff defeat since 1997, losing by 33 points to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the second round of the 2022 playoffs — another elimination game — despite their loaded roster.
A year later, following another failed roster experiment ending in postseason elimination, Payne is no longer a member of the Suns. In fact, he's far from it.
The veteran point guard will be suiting up for the San Antonio Spurs next season, this time as a true leader.
Payne hasn't had your typical basketball career. Yes, that looks different for every player, but the 28-year-old's story still stands out from other players his age. The Spurs will mark the point guard's fifth team in nine seasons, but that's just counting NBA.
After just nine games for the Cleveland Cavaliers on two 10-day contracts, Payne was not given a full-time deal, leading to his time brief stint in China. There, he played for the Shanxi Loongs, averaging 22.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 4.5 steals in two games before returning to the United States.
It wasn't long before his talent was clearly recognized as NBA caliber, which allowed his time in the league to continue with the Phoenix Suns during the bubble. He played a big part in the Suns' 8-0 record during that stretch and later their NBA Finals appearance, which earned him high praise from Phoenix's veteran coach.
"I like his aggressiveness," Monty Williams said of the point guard's impact. "His speed and his juice, it elevates our team. I love what he's done for [us]."
Payne may not be with the Suns anymore, but his time there only adds to the extensive list of experience he's experienced over the course of his career.
He's learned from other All-Star caliber veterans like Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and now Kevin Durant, but still, the Spurs offer him something that he hasn't had before: a leadership opportunity.
San Antonio has one of the youngest core's in the league, which now centers around 7-4 French phenom Victor Wembanyama. Before that however, it was Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson — who isn't new to the Spurs' system, but still young compared to other teams' "best players."
While the Spurs do have some veterans like Doug McDermott, Zach Collins and Devonte' Graham, none of them have the kind of experience that Payne boasts from Phoenix. He's been to the playoffs, the NBA Finals and alongside future Hall-of-Famers in just a few short years, playing a pivotal role in the process.
“During his tenure with the Suns, Cam brought infectious energy and joy to our team,"Suns president and general manager James Jones said in a team statement. "We appreciate him for everything he did for this organization and community."
Despite the era of Payne in Phoenix being over, the organization holds a high respect for the veteran, and the Spurs should, too. Payne is joining a short list of other recently acquired veterans by San Antonio who now make its roster a strong mix of young and seasoned talent.
Reggie Bullock, Cedi Osman and Payne are joining a new era of Spurs basketball, one that's led by Wembanyama but fueled by experience. And Payne is no stranger to that, as he'll look to continue to be a strong scorer, an improving defender and most importantly, a fervent leader.
San Antonio isn't likely to do a roster-purge of its own, either, so Payne can rest easy knowing that if he proves to be as valuable as he was to Phoenix, he'll likely be a lasting member of the Spurs moving forward, especially as a player who adds depth for Gregg Popovich.
All-in-all, the veteran isn't the entire answer for San Antonio, but he brings strong play on the court and a strong voice off of it, setting him up to be a big part of the Spurs' mission of having a winning ‘Cam-Payne’ in multiple ways.
Sure, Payne isn't a hero, but that's not a bad thing. Because he doesn't need to be.
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