Three destinations for Cameron Payne

Payne was set to make $6.5 million next season, after the Phoenix Suns traded him to San Antonio in a tax-saving move. San Antonio got a second-round pick and cash, but with 23-year-old Tre Jones set to start at point guard, and 20-year-olds Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley needing playing time, the Spurs will let Payne find a new team.

Not only did Payne average 10.3 points and 4.5 assists last season, he had some big games in the playoffs. Payne had 31 points in Phoenix's final game, and scored in double figures eight times during Phoenix's run to the Finals in 2021, shooting 36.2 percent from deep. Here are three teams that would be a great fit for Payne.

Los Angeles Clippers

Russell Westbrook is the starting point guard, but behind him is a lot of uncertainty. Terance Mann is a solid player who can play any wing position, but he's not exactly a point guard. Backups Bones Hyland and Jason Preston are unreliable. And it doesn't look like anyone is trading for James Harden.

Payne is the kind of point guard Paul George and Kawhi Leonard need. He doesn't need the ball in his hands, thrives as a spot-up shooter but has the ability to score when he needs to. With George and Leonard not exactly iron men, they'll need extra scoring nights they're sitting. Plus, Payne and Westbrook can revive their old pre-game dance routines from when they were teammates in Oklahoma City.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets lost some players this off-season, namely Bruce Brown, who got a lucrative deal with the Indiana Pacers. While Payne isn't nearly the defender Brown is, Denver can always use outside shooting around Nikola Jokic, who is uncanny at finding open shooters around the arc. He may be a better option at backup point guard than Reggie Jackson, who shot only 28 percent from deep with Denver last year.

In addition, bringing in Payne can let Jokic bury the hatchet with the guard who he hit in the face during the 2021 playoffs, and subsequently got ejected.

Miami Heat

This might have to wait until the Damian Lillard trade sage is resolved one way or another, but Miami lost point guard Gabe Vincent in the off-season and would likely lose Tyler Herro and/or Kyle Lowry in a potential Lillard trade. Right now, Miami's third point guard is Dru Smith, who has all of 15 games of NBA experience. Another steady veteran would help Miami's quest to return to the Finals.

Payne might not fit the hard-nosed defensive model that the Heat look for, though according to the advanced stats, Payne was a slight positive on defense in his time with the Suns. But Miami needs outside shooting and Payne can provide that. Injuries limited Payne to 11 games with the Chicago Bulls in 2016-17. It might be time for him and Jimmy Butler to get reacquainted.