Knicks Coach Loves One Thing About Veteran PG

The New York Knicks have come to appreciate their backup point guard.

Jeremy Brener | 4 Hours Ago

Oct 15, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) looks to pass the ball while being defended by Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) and center Nick Richards (4) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are expected to have a sparkplug off the bench in backup point guard Cam Payne.

Payne, 30, averaged 7.4 points per game last season while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers, but he has now left the Eastern Conference foes to join the good guys in New York.

As someone who was an early draft pick that lost his place in the league and had to fight to get back into the NBA, Payne plays with a chip on his shoulder, and that is something coach Tom Thibodeau has come to appreciate. His hustle comes from a different place, and that is something he likes to see.

“You can’t help but learn from that. Those type of hustle plays, like they do nothing but unite and inspire the team. When a play like that happens, it brings energy to the group," Thibodeau said h/t Posting and Toasting. “We need a team full of guys willing to do that.”

Not everyone on the team can be like Payne, especially in a 82-game season. However, the reasons Thibodeau listed above are exactly why you go out and get a guy like Payne in free agency.

Payne hopes that his energy and hustle is contagious to the rest of the team.

“Any game I go play I’m playing hard, all-out. That’s just my identity, my character. So if they see me do it, the old guy, obviously it’ll ignite them to do the same thing. But that’s how I approach every game," Payne said.

The Knicks will need Payne for depth purposes throughout the season as the team hopes to remain close to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

Payne and the Knicks begin their season next week, starting with a battle against the defending champion Boston Celtics.

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Published 4 Hours Ago

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.