The Indiana Pacers were looking for a replacement for Tyrese Haliburton.
They thought they might've found one in a 10-year NBA veteran.
Instead, they cut Cameron Payne on Saturday.
Officially, Payne was waived, according to a release from the Pacers.
Indiana is going to have to rely heavily on rookie guard Taelon Peter with Haliburton (Achilles) out for the season and T.J. McConnell also dealing with a hamstring injury.
It was a bit surprising that Payne was still a free agent as close to the season as he was. He played in 72 regular season games in 2024-25 for the New York Knicks and is a proven contributor. He could certainly draw interest on waivers.
For the Knicks last season, Payne averaged 6.9 points per game, and he averages 7.8 points per game in his career.
MORE: Why the Warriors cut Seth Curry in a waiver move
Payne was once the No. 14 overall pick, in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He has also played for the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.
The Pacers had waived Delon Wright to make room for Payne on the roster when they signed him. Wright left the Pacers' preseason opener after a head-to-head collision.
If Payne appears in a game in 2025-26, it'll represent his 11th NBA season.
Payne is 31 years old and can be a bit streaky, and the Pacers have decided to go in a different direction rather than stick with him.
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