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Mar 20, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) brings the ball up court during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

NBA Free Agent’s Top Suitor Officially Moves on

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 14, 2025 7:13 PM ET

The New York Knicks have added a group of guards recently. Cam Payne was not one of them.

For anyone holding out hope for Payne to get back with the Mike Brown-led Knicks, don’t hold your breath. One Knicks Insider recently confirmed the obvious: Payne will remain out of the picture.

via @SbondyNBA: Not a surprise given how the team's offseason has unfolded, but Cam Payne will not be returning to the Knicks next season, a league source says. Payne averaged 6.9 points in 72 games last season. Knicks don't win Game 1 against the Pistons without him.

Not a surprise given how the team's offseason has unfolded, but Cam Payne will not be returning to the Knicks next season, a league source says.

Payne averaged 6.9 points in 72 games last season. Knicks don't win Game 1 against the Pistons without him.
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) September 13, 2025

At 31 years old, Payne still has gas left in the tank. The former first-rounder has recently struggled to find a long-term home, and the Knicks will help contribute to the unfortunate trend for the veteran.

Back in 2015, Payne was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder out of Murray State. He was a first-round selection, taken 14th overall.

Payne’s run with the Thunder started with a 57-game stretch, which included 12.2 minutes of action per game. His playing time increased by year two, but he didn’t stick around in OKC for much longer. After 20 appearances with the Thunder in 2016-2017, Payne was traded to the Chicago Bulls.

Similar to his run with the Thunder, Payne played in just one full season with the Bulls. During his third season suited up in a Bulls uniform, Payne was cut loose. He signed multiple 10-day deals with the Cleveland Cavaliers and remained a free agent for some time moving forward.

Payne picked up with the Phoenix Suns in 2020. Originally signing a two-year deal, Payne ended up staying in Phoenix for a four-season run. He ended up having a role for the Suns’ three playoff runs from 2021 to 2023.

During the 2023-2024 season, Payne played for the Milwaukee Bucks after being£ traded. He would appear in just 47 games for the Bucks before getting traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Knicks faced Payne during his Sixers tenure in 2024, watching him score 5.6 points off the bench on 44 percent shooting from three in the playoffs. That was enough for the Knicks to lure in Payne for the 2024-2025 season.

In 72 games, Payne averaged 6.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. He made 36 percent of his shots from the field. During the playoffs, he averaged 2.1 points and 24 percent from beyond the arc.

With the Knicks out on bringing Payne back, the veteran guard remains a top free agent guard with training camps just around the corner.