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From what you've seen in the preseason would you give Payne some run early in the regular season? I'm inclined to think he's earned some minutes. The physical tools are just significantly better than D.J. and he has not appeared nearly as lost defensively as most rookies. He also appears to be relatively comfortable operating without the ball spotting up on the wing in those lineups where Dion has been given ball handling duties.

We must be watching a different player defensively, because in the Memphis game he literally couldn't get over a screen every time they ran a pick and roll. Sure, he should get a shot at some minutes, especially as crappy as Augustin has been, but him + Enes in a pick and roll could be a disaster.

spearsy23 wrote:We must be watching a different player defensively, because in the Memphis game he literally couldn't get over a screen every time they ran a pick and roll. Sure, he should get a shot at some minutes, especially as crappy as Augustin has been, but him + Enes in a pick and roll could be a disaster.

You lost at the point in which you said you watched the Memphis game. No seriously though, his defense hasn't been as bad as you are making it out to be. Also the competition is Augustin who is flat out awful defensively.

Of course he should be getting minutes, he is a developing first round pick.
Payne should be getting 12-16mpg this season, but we cannot let him take DJs minutes too much.
Augustin, IMO, is one of the needed keys to winning a title.

No matter how we cut it, Payne is a work in progress.