The Suns are fully guaranteeing the final season of point guard Cameron Payne‘s contract for 2023/24, sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
Payne’s deal had been partially guaranteed for $2MM, and now will become fully guaranteed for $6.5MM.
With injury-prone former starter Chris Paul having been offloaded as part of the deal that brought veteran guard Bradley Beal to Phoenix, the club may have an opening at starting point guard. Beal and All-Star guard Devin Booker both could handle the team’s primary play-making duties at the position, but Payne may also be utilized as the official starter while Beal and Booker are used at shooting guard and small forward.
During Beal’s introductory Suns presser today, head coach Frank Vogel said that Payne would be “in the mix” for a starting role, depending on how the rest of the team’s offseason roster building played out, Rankin tweets.
The 6’1″ vet, inked his current three-year, $19MM deal with the Suns in 2021, after reviving his career as a productive 2020/21 as Paul’s backup on an NBA Finals-bound club.
Last season, the 28-year-old averaged 10.3 PPG, 4.5 APG, 2.2 RPG, and 0.7 SPG in his 48 healthy games with Phoenix last year. He posted that scoring number on a slash line of .415/.368/.766. Injuries to his foot and lower back limited his availability for the club, both during the regular season and playoffs.
Nice typo lol
“Vogel had hinted that Beal would be in the in the mix for a starting role”
Don’t you mean Payne? Obviously Beal is starting lmao
In the mix? They barely have 5 guys on the roster. I’d think they’d all be in the mix.
Cameron Payne is a decent backup Point Guard that might be in their closing lineup.
Who’s injury prone?
Chris Paul has played 264 games over the last 4 seasons. Beal has played 207.