Underperforming: Cameron Payne
The 76ers received Payne from the Bucks in the Patrick Beverley trade. He has bounced around since the end of last season. Payne has been traded twice and was waived by the Spurs. The Sixers are technically his fourth team since July, and the backup point guard is trying to find a long-term home.
Payne’s defense is always problematic. The 6’3 guard struggles defending on the ball and is undersized in switch-heavy schemes. Payne can get targeted, so his offense needs to be on point to stay on the floor.
In his four games with the Sixers, the 29-year-old averaged 10.8 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.3 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game. Those numbers look strong, but he shot just 36.6 percent from the field and 25.0 percent on his 3-point attempts to achieve them. Payne needs to be more efficient.
The Philadelphia 76ers signed Kyle Lowry off the buyout market, and it will be interesting to see if Cameron Payne sticks in the rotation. Lowry cannot play massive minutes at his age, but the Sixers need to be careful how much Payne plays, especially in the postseason. His defense should be mitigated with Joel Embiid protecting the rim, but Payne will still struggle.