Is Cameron Payne up to the challenge of being the Suns’ point guard?

The Phoenix Sums have most certainly been the story of the offseason so far, somehow managing to add Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards and completely overhauling their coaching staff before the NBA Draft has even taken place. In fact the Suns have operated with such vigour that it would not be a surprise to see them force their way into the draft on Thursday night.

The organization’s lone second round pick (52nd) all they have to focus on currently. Beyond that and a Deandre Ayton trade now looks more likely than ever, which would bring to an end a strange tenure for a former first overall pick and dominant big man with All-Star potential who is only about to turn 25-years-old next month.

Lost in the shuffle of adding Beal to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, while also ditching Chris Paul and Landry Shamet, has been the fact Cameron Payne is still on the roster.

He is going to remain there as well, as he is one of the few players who are still under contract with the franchise heading into next season. Payne also has more value in Phoenix than anywhere else in the league, and while it would be amazing to somehow snag the maybe available Tyus Jones from the Memphis Grizzlies, Suns’ owner Mat Ishbia is all out of magic tricks right now.

So it will be Payne who as it stands will begin next season as the Suns’ starting point guard, but we know he will not be initiating the offense as much as he has in the past. The safe best is on Booker leaning more into that role, and taking his game to the next level as he looks to set up Durant and Beal each night.

That doesn’t make Payne any less important however, but is he up to the task of being a starter on this team if he is called upon? Payne has only stared 28 games in his time with the Suns during the regular season (and 56 total in eight seasons in the NBA) and has played 20.2 minutes per game and put up 9.8 points per contest.

Believe it or not, those two numbers are the best marks he has ever managed anywhere in the league, and at 28-years-old there is no doubt he is comfortable in the NBA and knows what he is capable of. Another career high Payne has managed while with the Suns is 4.2 assists a night, and the 4.5 of last season was the second best mark of his entire career.

Opponents are going to target Payne on the defensive end, and offensively he is going to be at best the fourth option on the court always (fifth if Ayton sticks around). So all Payne will need to do is ensure Booker has the ball in his spots, take some shots when open looks come his way, and not be punished by opponents.

It doesn’t sound like the best life in the league, but there are actually few better players than Payne who can attempt to do this. He took just over nine field-goal attempts last season, and while that number is going to tumble dramatically next year, Payne has existed in offenses in the past where he was taking nearly half that (5.3 in two seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder).

Payne’s 3-point shooting could be described as streaky at best, and yet in his first two seasons with the Suns, he somehow hit 51.7 percent and 44 percent of his shots from deep. Both weren’t flukes either, with Payne taking 3.6 and 2.8 shots respectively in those seasons. These days he is an average 36 percent slinger, but he is comfortable taking these shots, and will get them.

Incoming head coach Frank Vogel isn’t typically enamoured with average sized guards who aren’t known for their defensive chops, although the effort of Payne can’t be faulted. Still, the Suns had a disastrous defensive rating of 119.3 when Payne was on the court last season, which would have put them 29th in the entire NBA if applied to the team as a whole.

The 2021-22 season was better however, with the Suns having a defensive rating of 107.1 when Payne was on the court. That was as much to do with playing with a superb defender like Mikal Bridges and a locked in Ayton than anything else, and really Payne is going to have to turn in the best defensive season of his career if he wants to truly help this top-heavy Suns group.

If you look at the player as a whole though, this is a challenge that he should be looking forward to, and is capable of excelling in the unenviable “get out of the way and let the superstars cook” role. Payne has never been a big time scorer or assist getter, and has made a living filling in around more illustrious teammates.

Despite this, he has shown an ability to hit 3-pointers before, and under coach Vogel can hopefully taken his defensive effort up several levels. Payne is not going to be the Suns’ x-factor. By the end of this month he might not even be on the team it is that unpredictable right now (his $6.5 million deal for this season becomes fully guaranteed on June 29th).

But entering a contract year and with an understanding of what it takes to play next to superstars, Payne is likely to start on opening night as things stand. He probably won’t be a closer and his usage is going to hit an all-time low. But if he can keep the head down, defer to Booker as a playmaker, make a few shots and defend at a better level, Payne will be everything the Suns need.