Cameron Payne

Cameron Payne
PG – 6’3, 185lbs - 23 years old – 3 years of experience

A fairly terrible stretch for Payne saw him end his rookie season poorly, then hurt his foot, then play badly for two teams in his sophomore season, then have a terrible summer league, and then follow it all up with another foot injury that kept him out of the majority of his third season. Expectations, inevitably, were thus lowered.

It is good, then, that he surpassed them. As the depth chart opened up in front of him, the expectations lowered further as the egregiously tanking Bulls wanted as little go right as possible. Playing carefree and without looking over his shoulder seemed to help Payne, who played pretty well on both ends in his late-season audition.

The good version of Payne looked at home playing the higher-tempo Hoiball that Chicago finally got into throughout the season, and had a knack for getting all the way to the rim. He needs to finish better once there, especially since he went about 1-89 on the season with floaters, and he completely avoids contact if he can. Yet an improved catch-and-shoot outside shot made for much improved scoring efficiency, which paired well with his good defensive reads and solid playmaking. More development is needed, yet the low bar was comfortably cleared, and Payne has earned another year to truly establish his rotation credentials going forward.

Although he needs to stay healthy, of course.

Player Plan: Final year of rookie scale salary. Keep, test, re-examine at season’s end.

Cameron Payne
PG, 6’3, 185lbs, 22 years old, 2 years of experience

His few minutes with the Bulls did not go well, shooting with almost every touch despite not being a shooter, and pressing too hard to impress resulting only in poor decisions and forced possessions. The point guard spot for the Bulls is as winnable as anyone in the league, and with young, size and energy on his side, Payne has some potential. The current baseline based on his performance thus far however is extremely low, and his skills and poise need much work.

Player Plan: Two rookie scale seasons remaining. Year one was mediocre. Year two was simply poor. Needs much more production, but Dunn just took his spot.

At point guard, Chicago has five options. The remarkably inconsistent Rajon Rondo, who turned his play around down the stretch of the season but who had struggled so badly prior that almost got bought out at one point, is flanked by the far younger quarter of Jerian Grant, Michael Carter-Williams, Cameron Payne and the small shooting guard that is Isaiah Canaan. All five, particularly the latter four, and even more particularly the latter three, have been consistently unreliable (although Grant emerged as the season went on as the less ball-dominant presence who could pick his spots alongside Wade and Butler).