Cam Payne news and highlights

[RunDogGun]

I hope he takes more threes this year. He shot 44%, and on the leader list he was 10th in the league, but only attempted 2.8. Only player to shoot better with less attempts was Portis with 2.4 at 47%.

[bwgood77]

I hope he takes more threes this year. He shot 44%, and on the leader list he was 10th in the league, but only attempted 2.8. Only player to shoot better with less attempts was Portis with 2.4 at 47%.

Yeah, he was money from 3. If he can even keep close to that percentage that is huge, particularly if the other Cam is still on the second unit, and Shamet will also attract defensive attention to spread the floor. Then when Booker plays with them, or even Paul, that will help more.

[RunDogGun]

I hope he takes more threes this year. He shot 44%, and on the leader list he was 10th in the league, but only attempted 2.8. Only player to shoot better with less attempts was Portis with 2.4 at 47%.

Yeah, he was money from 3. If he can even keep close to that percentage that is huge, particularly if the other Cam is still on the second unit, and Shamet will also attract defensive attention to spread the floor. Then when Booker plays with them, or even Paul, that will help more.

Nader shot 42% from three as well, so even if CamJ started, we still have high % three pointers in the second unit. But I still don't see Monty running a full second squad. I am just bummed we didn't use Payne's shooting from deep that much. I did like using CP3 as a shooting guard a few times when CamP and he were the back court. Paul did pretty well as a spot up three point shooter at times. It also gave CamP room to take it to the basket, while leaving a solid option from three in Paul. Hope we utilize the players' skills better this year.

[bwgood77]

I hope he takes more threes this year. He shot 44%, and on the leader list he was 10th in the league, but only attempted 2.8. Only player to shoot better with less attempts was Portis with 2.4 at 47%.

Yeah, he was money from 3. If he can even keep close to that percentage that is huge, particularly if the other Cam is still on the second unit, and Shamet will also attract defensive attention to spread the floor. Then when Booker plays with them, or even Paul, that will help more.

Nader shot 42% from three as well, so even if CamJ started, we still have high % three pointers in the second unit. But I still don't see Monty running a full second squad. I am just bummed we didn't use Payne's shooting from deep that much. I did like using CP3 as a shooting guard a few times when CamP and he were the back court. Paul did pretty well as a spot up three point shooter at times. It also gave CamP room to take it to the basket, while leaving a solid option from three in Paul. Hope we utilize the players' skills better this year.

Yeah, it would be nice if Nader shot that well again, though he only took like 43 3s, fewer than any of his previous years, especially last year, and it was his best % by far.

[lilfishi22]

Wonder how much he gave up?

He'll be 29 or 30 when his contract is up so he really gave up his pay day to remain with us.

Probably around $10-11m. His fair contract value would have been around the $10m mark give or take so over that 3year period, he would've given up about $10m to stay with the Suns. He did give up a fair chunk but he also has a guaranteed role, guaranteed minutes, the chance to win a ring with the team that gave him the opportunity of the lifetime and I think he can certainly chase that money in a few years time or even become the Suns PG of the future if he continues to get better and remains a great fit next to Book.

What he gave up was a lot but the intangibles are there

[RedIndian]

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[Saberestar]

His stats in the last 5 games (4W-1L):

13.6 points
5.2 assists
4.0 boards

.450 FG%
.909 FT%

[Ghost of Kleine]

Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) Tweeted:
#Suns' Cameron Payne on rise, fall and rise again and playing on #Christmas: 'My story is a movie' (w/videos) #NBA75 #NBA https://t.co/rT1hkkMS8h via @usatoday

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[Ghost of Kleine]

Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) Tweeted:
Cameron Payne had a plus-33 in #Suns win at San Antonio.

Thoughts?

"I just try my best to go out there and play the best basketball I can, it being positive or negative. The plus-33 is cool, but honesty, it really don't matter. As long as we win." Payne. https://t.co/4t88lzIKpZ

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[Saberestar]

Can we have (realistically) a better backup PG than him? I don't think so.

15.8 points, 11 assists and 3.3 boards and 1.3 steals per game replacing CP3 as a starter.

The guy needs to be a Suns for life IMO. You can never be wrong with a player like him on your roster.

[lilfishi22]

Can we have (realistically) a better backup PG than him? I don't think so.

15.8 points, 11 assists and 3.3 boards and 1.3 steals per game replacing CP3 as a starter.

The guy needs to be a Suns for life IMO. You can never be wrong with a player like him on your roster.

It's in stark contrast to how he plays coming off the bench. I feel like he has a level of confidence, poise and leadership as a starter that he doesn't necessarily gets to exhibit off the bench because his role is more of a microwave scorer with some passing. It's really refreshing

[bwgood77]

Can we have (realistically) a better backup PG than him? I don't think so.

15.8 points, 11 assists and 3.3 boards and 1.3 steals per game replacing CP3 as a starter.

The guy needs to be a Suns for life IMO. You can never be wrong with a player like him on your roster.

Yeah, I love Payne. There is a reasonable chance he could be our pgotf too.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) Tweeted:
#Suns' Cameron Payne on rise, fall and rise again and playing on #Christmas: 'My story is a movie' (w/videos) #NBA75 #NBA https://t.co/rT1hkkMS8h via @usatoday

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They should put this Payne quote in the rookie orientation.


"I mean, that’s why I play so hard. Like no matter what, no matter what kind of game it is, that’s why I play hard because I was outside of this thing watching, never thinking I would be back. So now that I’m back, yeah, I’m going to play 100% in every game. Yeah, I’m going to pick up full (court). Yeah, I’m going to do all the little things because those are the things you kind of lose track of when you get in the NBA. Those were the things that actually opened my eyes and showed me like yeah, those are things you’ve got to do if you want to be here. There’s only a couple of guys that don’t have to do that. And if you want to be in the league, you’ve got to do that.”

Sent from my SM-G986U using RealGM mobile app

[Saberestar]

Something that I have noticed in games and is shown in his stats is that he has improved as a general floor.

He is not on CP3's level, of course, but he is skilled, mature and experienced enough to proceed with our hafcourt plays better than in the past.

Post All-Star:

134 assists.
29 turnovers.
22% usage (before the All Star he had 26,1%).

[RunDogGun]

Payne has been really up and down from what I have seen. He looked scared against GS. I think he is a good back up point, but I just don't see him as a starter. Sure he can cover that spot when needed, but I would rather have a better starter at point once CP3 retires, or is no longer with the team.

His shot form (leg stance) is so strange to me, and I think that form is a reason for his poor shooting as of late. His driving layup has been his most consistent shot (but often gets blocked), and that is one of his shots that doesn't use his set or jump shot form. I wonder if he worked on his form, if he could be more consistent from distance.

[bwgood77]

He had the same form last year when he shot 44% from 3, better than Cam Johnson is shooting thisyaer. I think if you are able to do that from a distance over a year sample size, it isn't something you should mess with. He is down this year, as Cam Johnson was last year, but I'd give it more time before starting to work on changing form. All of our 3 pt shooters are up and down. Our best ones from last year are the worst this year and vice versa (except Bridges is ok this year after great last year). But CP3 was at 40% last year and is under 32% this year. I think the new ball is impacting people differently.

[RunDogGun]

He had the same form last year when he shot 44% from 3, better than Cam Johnson is shooting thisyaer. I think if you are able to do that from a distance over a year sample size, it isn't something you should mess with. He is down this year, as Cam Johnson was last year, but I'd give it more time before starting to work on changing form. All of our 3 pt shooters are up and down. Our best ones from last year are the worst this year and vice versa (except Bridges is ok this year after great last year). But CP3 was at 40% last year and is under 32% this year. I think the new ball is impacting people differently.

I don't think Johnson is as affected by his form, nor Paul, both have solid form. Johnson's leg must still be bothering him, plus he has been playing with lesser players, making him a focus for defenses. Paul has been dealing with hand issues, which seems to also affect his free throw shooting. With Payne's form, slight things can easily affect the shot. So when he is off it affects all aspects of his shot using that leg stance. And that shows when he is able to make the one handed shots, where he isn't using that leg stance. He looks like he is throwing darts, which requires more arm strength and is very tough to do leaning to either side.

I agree about the ball, but that seems to be affecting guys dribbling and handles more than their shot. With good form, it is easier to adjust to variables like ball changing. Payne has taken almost 50 more threes so far than last year, so he last year he might have been waiting to be complete set before shooting a three, which his form needs. That 27% increase in threes with an odd form in more rushed situations accounts for the drop in accuracy.

Oh well, just another disagreement.

[Saberestar]

So far so good as an starter with CP3 out.

This highlights are fun. He did a couple aof awesome plays against the Magic.

Watch on YouTube

[Revived]

He’s been great this year. He plays better as a starter than bench player. I wonder if he could possibly be the successor to CP3. Idk probably not considering small sample size so far and all.

[lilfishi22]

Too small a sample size at this point in time. His stats has also been boosted by playing well in the starting line up. Ultimately, I would prefer to see him continue to run the second unit well because that's where he struggled mightily last season whereas he was good as a starter.