The Philadelphia 76ers played their first game back after the All-Star break, but the results were far from what they wanted. Still without Joel Embiid, they fell to the middling Hawks in the home floor, bringing them closer to the play-in tournament picture. Having said that, if there is one positive thing they can take away, it is the play of newcomer Cameron Payne.
No, Payne did not necessarily play hero for the 76ers. In 10 minutes of court time, he did not even score a single point, missing all three of his shots, which were all three-pointers. However, he did rack up five dimes in such a limited serving of minutes, which gives the team hope that he can provide, at least for the short term, what they have badly needed in the playmaking department.
As currently constructed, the 76ers do not really have someone who can be called a natural point guard. Payne is not exactly packaged as one, but with the team in dire need of someone who can help organize the offense, having him off the bench could end up becoming more useful than everyone expected.
Cam Payne brings a much-needed boost at the playmaking department for the 76ers
The 76ers have a litany of individual shot creators, which makes it all the more important to have someone who can make an impact elsewhere, especially off the bench. Right now, Quentin Grimes is overburdened with a huge imposition as he is tasked with providing the main scoring in the second unit while also playing nominal point guard, and it has clearly affected his approach and efficiency.
Now, with Payne in the fold, the 76ers coaching staff can return the players to their rightful positions, especially on the offensive end. Sure, Payne is now world beater, but he is at least serviceable enough to handle the playmaking duties for, say, 10-14 minutes per outing.
Tyrese Maxey, who leads the league in minutes per outing by a mile, would also greatly benefit if he can take two to four minutes more when he hits the bench to take a breather. Preserving him will be very critical, especially since the 76ers already do not have Joel Embiid and Paul George.
Now, being the direct replacement of Jared McCain will always dampen the opinion of the public on him, but Payne looks reliable enough to man a small, but important role for the 76ers. Hopefully, his playmaking edge sticks as the regular season slowly comes to its end point.