3:36 pm: The Pacers have officially waived Payne, the team confirmed in a press release. Recent signees Kyle Guy and Ray Spalding, who are ticketed for the Noblesville Boom in the G League, have also been cut, per the Pacers.
According to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), the team is still weighing its options at the back of the roster, including whether to keep all of its centers or potentially add another point guard.
2:47 pm: Cameron Payne won’t make the Pacers‘ regular season roster, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), who reports that the team plans to waive the veteran point guard.
After initially targeting Monte Morris this fall for a training camp deal, Indiana pivoted to Delon Wright, who was injured during the preseason, prompting the club to sign Payne last week as a replacement.
A 10-year NBA veteran who has earned regular playing time in Phoenix, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and New York in recent years, Payne had a potential path to a roster spot on a Pacers team that will be without star Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles tear) for the entire 2025/26 season and is also currently missing T.J. McConnell (hamstring).
However, Payne didn’t stand out over the course of three preseason games, shooting just 28.6% from the field and registering nearly as many turnovers (six) as assists (seven). After getting a start in his first preseason outing as a Pacer, the 31-year-old came off the bench in the last two and was behind rookie guard (and preseason standout) Taelon Peter in the rotation on Friday.
Payne was on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract, so waiving him won’t leave any dead money on the Pacers’ cap. Indiana is now in position to keep center Tony Bradley, who is on a standard non-guaranteed contract, assuming the team plans to carry a full 15-man standard roster into opening night.
Indiana isnt contending for anything this year without Haliburton (unless Nembhard becomes a star himself) so I dont see the desperation to have another pg on the roster.
If there isnt a good option out there, simply use that roster spot with someone else who you believe deserves it regardless of their position (or another position of need).
Sometimes players develop better with a passing pg playing.
Not sometimes you are correct. Only Superstar level players develop on bad teams. Every other player pretty much doesn’t develop when the team is bad because you need a point guard as you said who can distribute the ball and run the offense. I still think this is a playoff team or a play in team in the without halliburton
I mean I dont think Cameron Payne is moving the needle as a passing pg, but thats just me
Cam Payne is not a passing point. It’s kind of weird because he came into the NBA with a little bit of floor general ability. However he then got into shoot heavy with OKC and was playing around too much. He got booted out of the NBA and then worked on one elite skill which was just shooting and got back in. Had he developed better and took the game series when he was younger. He probably still have another 2 to 4 years left to play. Anyways he made good money hopefully he saved it
Pacers are a pretty good team, and even tho Haliburton was their best player, the team wasnt really built around him. He was a star playing in a role. They just need to find someone that can play that role, and then hope someone else can make a leap
I mean I would even go as far as saying Siakam was their best player, but Haliburton as a leader and closer was a huge reason why they went as far as they did.
Unless Nembhard makes a big leap (which I think is possible, I like him as a player), I dont see them going as far because they really needed Hali for that.
Well yea, getting in the finals is highly improbable but 2nd rd is very possible, even ECF depending on matchups and injuries
They cant beat the Knicks without Hali, Cleveland also has a helluva squad. Orlando is underrated, Hawks might have a shot.
I feel like ECF is too much unless Nembhard really blossoms imo
It’s appears the preseason campaign is over for Cam Payne.
Cam Payne career is over. If there is a significant injury in the regular season, but he’s really a scoring point guard so there’s not really many teams out there that need that. But you never know if there’s a whole bunch of point guard injuries, he may be able to find himself, third string or second string somewhere