Knicks' Cam Payne settling in nicely in his seventh NBA home
Cameron Payne of the Knicks controls the ball in the first half against the Wizards at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
PHOENIX — For Cam Payne, this was a trip home, a journey back to the city where he finally gained a solid foothold in the NBA. And as he returned with the Knicks for Wednesday night’s game, he continued to work to secure his place.
Payne still has a home here and teammates joked that the only sign that this place was different for him was driving up in a matte black Corvette that resembled the Batmobile. But just like the other stops in his 10-season NBA career, his time in Phoenix came to an end. And then it was on to Milwaukee and Philadelphia.
This season, the 30-year-old Payne has found a new home in New York with his seventh team. And even as he has fit in well, he knows that he faces the same situation every day — he still needs to prove he belongs.
“I kind of had to start over again, make people like me, show them what I can do,” Payne said. “For sure I had to start over and I’m kind of doing it again, Kind of go out there playing so everybody knows what I do, what I bring to the table. And I’m starting to turn some heads a little bit. Hopefully I can get some love there in New York.”
He has done that. When the Knicks brought him in, there were no guarantees, and some in the organization believed he was an insurance policy for the postseason, a veteran presence to help run the second unit in the most pressing of situations. But in the early part of the season, as the Knicks have sought to establish a new rotation, it isn’t just the 8.2 points per game or the 44.4% shooting from three-point range that have endeared him to his new team.
It is the burst of energy — from running circles around the court as the starters are announced during pregame introductions to the nonstop movement when he gets on the floor. He provides the fire and passion that the Knicks hated when it was on the other side last season in the playoffs and Payne was a needle in their side for Philadelphia.
“He brings energy,” Jalen Brunson said. “Regardless of what’s going on on the court. He may play a lot. He may not play a lot. But his energy is always there and he’s a great teammate to have around and I hate to play against him. But honestly, having him as a teammate, he’s been amazing.”
“Yeah, and that’s really the beauty of the NBA,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Really, it doesn’t matter who you are or whether you’re a rookie, five-year player, 10-year player, whether you’ve been an All-Star — every year you have to prove yourself. Every game you’ve got to prove yourself.
“If you love competition, that’s what makes it so great. We have a bunch of competitors. All the things that Cam has been through has helped him and he’s responded. Whatever adversity has come his way, he’s always found a way to get above it. Now he’s established himself as a really good player in this league. So he’s brought a lot to our team.”
In the last five games, he has averaged 11.8 points and shot 53.6% from beyond the arc (15-for-28). And, perhaps not surprisingly, the Knicks have won five of the last six games since he returned from a hamstring injury.
“Honestly, I didn’t know,” he said of his role with the Knicks. “Honestly, I just wanted to come and help. When I get out there, I want to be aggressive and just utilize my opportunities. Obviously, I have. I’m in there. I didn’t know, though, coming in. I just wanted to be the best player I could be every day.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
