One concern surrounding this Knicks team coming into the season was their depth. After falling short in the 2024 Playoffs under a waterfall of injuries, losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, and trading two starters for Karl-Anthony Towns, it was obvious New York would need to find some diamonds in the rough to backfill its bench.
It’s still early in the year, but it appears they’ve at least found one solution. In mid-July the Knicks signed nine-year, six-team veteran Cam Payne for a minimum salary to be an emergency guard option, or at least most thought.
Payne was coming off a season where he competed well for two top East teams, but struggled to find consistent playing time. He only started to receive real playoff minutes with the 76ers in the third game of their first-round series, hounding the Knicks off the bench.
He then impressed in training camp and was one of the first players off the bench in the preseason, displaying a clear trust from the coaching staff. After a quiet start to the regular season and four-game injury absence, Payne is now rewarding New York for the opportunity.
In his last seven games, Payne is averaging 11.0 points, 4.0 assists, a steal, and less than one turnover across 21.5 minutes, cementing his reserve role behind some positive play. He’s been a sparkplug every time he checks in, bolstering a Knicks bench that had real questions just a few weeks ago.
It starts with his three-point shot. Payne has been willing and ready to fire from deep, both off the catch and pulling up.
He’s converting on 43.2 percent of his threes this season on 4.4 attempts per game, adding another weapon to this loaded Knicks offense. He’s made 21 of his last 42 from behind the arc — standout efficiency over this latest stretch.
Payne’s shooting has pulled defenses out and opened up attacking lanes for him to drive and kick out of. He’s recorded 26 assists in his last five games, showing off his experience in the pick-and-roll and ability to find and hit open teammates.
No matter the lineup configuration, Payne has fit in well thanks to these multiple threats.
He can bring the ball up and orchestrate the offense to give Jalen Brunson a breather, or slide Miles McBride to his more natural two spot. If another guard is on a heater, Payne can move off-ball to rain from deep or break down the defense as a secondary playmaker.
Payne’s two-point scoring isn’t overly impressive, but he’s been able to successfully get to his trusted floater for an easy bucket. He also isn’t afraid of physicality around the rim, despite his stature. That toughness and effort translates to the other end of the court, where fringe players can make or break their tenures under head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Payne’s no stopper, but he’s been solid defensively, enough so that the Knicks don’t lose much of a step when he’s on. His hustle on that end brings exactly the energy Thibodeau wants out of his players, making Payne a natural fit for this roster and culture.
He doesn’t solve all of the Knicks’ issues, but barring a trade, it was clear this team needed one or two relative unknowns to shine, and Payne’s been one of them. If he can continue his steady hand and knockdown shooting, it’ll calm many of the nerves around New York’s depth, and continue winning them games.
