Cameron Payne returning to NBA to help 76ers during playoff push 

Cameron Payne is a low-risk, high-reward addition for 76ers 

Adding Payne, 31, will provide the 76ers with a veteran guard to bolster the depth of their lineup as they continue to push toward a return to the playoffs. Payne will also be an easy player to plug into the lineup due to his familiarity with the 76ers coaching staff. 

He spent the second half of the 2023-24 season with Philadelphia after a deadline trade. He put up 9.3 points per game in 31 games played and eight starts with the 76ers.  

Cameron Payne brings playoff experience to Philadelphia 

Payne then pivoted his strong play with Philadelphia to a one-year stint with the Knicks, playing a key role off the bench in New York's run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. He averaged 6.9 points in 72 games and five starts with the Knicks. 

Payne now becomes a low-risk, high-reward option for a 76ers team trying to tread water as Paul George serves the rest of his suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy. And despite Tyrese Maxey's dominant play and Joel Embiid enjoying a resurgence, the 76ers are clinging to a 30-24 record as the East's sixth seed. 

Mostly known for being part of the 2021 Suns team that reached the NBA Finals, Payne could help stabilize Philadelphia's place in the postseason and then attempt to make a run once there. 

Payne, who was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 14th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, has spent time with the Thunder, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, the Shanxi Loongs in China, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, 76ers and Knicks. He holds a 7.8 PPG average in 477 career NBA games to this point.