Grading the Milwaukee Bucks’ eye-catching signing of Cameron Payne
By Dalton Sell
Cameron Payne’s fit and role with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks needed a new backup point guard after letting Jevon Carter sign with the Chicago Bulls this past free agency. For a while this off-season, it seemed like they were content with not adding one, but that obviously changed once Payne became available and they had freed up a roster spot following the Damian Lillard trade.
Payne will fit like a glove, establishing himself as the clear-cut backup point guard to Dame Lillard. The 29-year-old has a good amount of experience backing up recognizable point guards, as he has played behind Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul. Perhaps those experiences can help prepare him to play behind another top-tier guard in Damain Lillard.
When Lillard is off the court, Payne is capable of handling the ball while orchestrating some plays offensively in his place. Not only can he facilitate at a high level – averaged 4.2 assists per game in the last four years – but he can also score and shoot the basketball very well – averaged 9.8 points while shooting 38.4 percent from 3-point territory in that same timeframe.
While Payne can make a positive impact on the offensive end, there are questions about what he might put on tape defensively. At 6-foot-1, he’s undersized, which could lead to him being a target for opposing scorers. If Payne can at least be serviceable on that end and pester his opponents to a noticeable degree, his overall nightly impact could increase mightily.
Having an experienced guard like Payne will certainly help the Milwaukee Bucks this coming year.