76ers Playoff Series Landed Cameron Payne With Knicks

Cameron Payne left a sizable impression on the New York Knicks last postseason.

Apr 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers guards Cameron Payne (22) and Tyrese Maxey (0) during the fourth quarter of game 5 of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

You only get once chance to make a good first impression and it appears Cameron Payne nailed it when it comes to leaving a mark on the New York Knicks.

Payne was one of the many unexpected heroes to emerge from the Knicks' six-game playoff tilt against the Philadelphia 76ers last spring. Though New York eventually prevailed, Payne took center stage in Game 3 of the series: with the Knicks looking to escape from Wells Fargo Center with a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven set, Payne came off the bench to score 11 points while registering three assists and two blocks in the 125-114 win for Philadelphia.

Speaking to John Wright of the Murray Ledger & Times, Payne revealed that the Knicks repeatedly referenced his Game 3 heroics while negotiating his new contract. Payne is set to debut for the Knicks next season after inking a one-year, $3 million deal on July 15.

Apr 28, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Cameron Payne (22) reacts with forward Tobias Harris (12) after his three pointer against the New York Knicks during the second half of game four of the first round in the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

"They kept telling me, ‘Oh man! You impressed us so much in Game 3! You helped them win that game,’” Payne recalled. "It’s pretty cool how, like, one game or a couple of possessions really stick with teams. So that’s kind of how I landed my deal and they see me the same way they see the guys already on the team. They have a team full of winners and they want to win."

The well-traveled Payne (set to play for his seventh team in 10 seasons) is a bit of a luxury signing for the Knicks, who already had solid backcourt depth, especially after drafting Marquette standout Tyler Kolek in the second round of last month's draft. He spent last season between Milwaukee and Philadelphia, averaging 7.4 points and 2.6 assists.

After meeting with Knicks brass, however, Payne believes there's a path to sizable Manhattan minutes. Expectations are high on the Knicks this season after the team won 50 games and the second seed on the Eastern Conference Playoff bracket last spring. Of note, Payne is one of the few Knicks with professional championshp experience, repping the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals.

“It’s not like I’m getting thrown into a deck of cards. The Knicks came calling and they wanted me there, so I’m really looking forward to the opportunity.”

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