Spurs PG Cam Payne Wishes Suns Trade Didn't Happen: 'I Miss Phoenix'

Cam Payne was traded by the Phoenix Suns to the San Antonio Spurs earlier this offseason.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 11, 2023

Spurs PG Cam Payne Wishes Suns Trade Didn't Happen: 'I Miss Phoenix' /

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San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are the new home for veteran point guard Cam Payne, but if it was up to him, he probably wouldn't have wanted a trade.

“Man, I love Phoenix, bro, I miss Phoenix already,” Payne said in an Instagram live session.

“I wish I was in Phoenix still but hey, it is where it is, man. They’re trying to win a chip and I respect it. I feel like they could’ve won a chip with me though 'cause like, I’m tough.”

It makes sense as to why Payne would want to stay with the Phoenix Suns. After trading for Kevin Durant at this year's deadline and Bradley Beal in the offseason, the Suns are gearing up for a championship. Meanwhile, the Spurs are rebuilding.

Payne had been with the Suns since the 2020 COVID bubble, where the team began its ascent to one of the top teams in the league. In 2021, Payne was a big part of the team's success in its NBA Finals run. In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Payne filled in for an injured Chris Paul and scored 29 points in the team's win.

Now, Payne's role is a little different, mentoring a young team headlined by Victor Wembanyama.

Can Payne wish to be with the Suns and be happy with the Spurs? Yes, but if he had the opportunity to choose one over the other, he'd probably go with Phoenix over San Antonio.

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Published Aug 11, 2023

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.