Perhaps as a casualty of the amount of roster moves the New York Knicks have made this offseason, guard Cameron Payne won’t be returning to the Knicks next season, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post confirmed.
Payne signed a one-year deal with the Knicks last offseason, and impressed well enough throughout training camp to earn a spot in the rotation. He averaged 6.9 points per game, while shooting 36 percent from three-point range in 72 appearances last season (five starts).
Payne will be remembered for his playoff heroics despite his struggles
Payne’s signature moment with the Knicks came in Game 1 of the team’s first-round playoff matchup with the Detroit Pistons. With the Knicks trailing entering the fourth quarter, Payne caught fire to spark a 21-0 Knicks run, which ultimately helped them secure a 123-112 victory. Payne finished with 14 points and knocked down three of his five three-pointers.
However, outside of his Game 1 heroics, Payne struggled mightily in the playoffs, averaging just 2.1 points per game, and seeing his minutes cut almost entirely, as he averaged 7.3 minutes per contest. His playoff struggles likely led to the Knicks’ decision to not pursue Payne heavily in free agency this year.
The Knicks enter next season as a favorite in the east, and as one of the deepest teams in the NBA despite not bringing back Payne. They’ll look to compete for a championship after coming up just short of an appearance in the NBA Finals last season.