The Indiana Pacers are in for an odd season at the point guard position.
After Tyrese Haliburton's torn Achilles, the Pacers have been forced to find new answers as their primary ball handler.
On Thursday, they added another option.
The Pacers announced that they have signed Cameron Payne, the veteran lefty point guard.
It was a bit surprising that Payne was still a free agent this close to the season. He played in 72 regular season games in 2024-25 for the New York Knicks and is a proven contributors.
For the Knicks last season, Payne averaged 6.9 points per game, and he averages 7.8 points per game in his career.
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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 waived Delon Wright to make room for Payne on the roster.
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, but there are certainly worse options than him as a depth point guard.
Given the Pacers' current situation, it's a great signing to have available in early October.
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