Pacers sign veteran point guard Cam Payne, waive Delon Wright after preseason injury
Well, Pacers fans, strap in because the point guard carousel in Indiana just took another wild spin, and honestly, it feels like we're watching a particularly chaotic episode of a reality TV show. The whole saga kicked off in their first preseason game, a dramatic overtime win against the Timberwolves that was less about the final score and more about the carnage on the court.Delon Wright, the veteran they’d just signed before camp to add some steady hands to the backcourt, went down hard after a collision with Minnesota's Jaylin Clark. Just like that, his tenure in the blue and gold was over almost before it began, lasting under four minutes and netting a measly two points.Talk about a tough break. But the front office, clearly not messing around, didn't even wait for the week to finish.By Thursday morning, they'd already posted the receipts on social media: Wright was waived, and in his place, they're bringing in Cam Payne. Yeah, *that* Cam Payne—the lefty with the funky game and a decade of experience bouncing around the league.It’s a move that screams 'next man up' in a season that hasn’t even started and already feels like it's hanging by a thread. Let’s be real, the Pacers' point guard situation is looking like a M*A*S*H unit.We all know the big one: All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, the engine of this entire team, is out for the season with an Achilles tear, a devastating blow that sent shockwaves through the entire Central Division. And if that wasn't enough, in that same preseason game, veteran backup T.J. McConnell, the guy you count on for pesky defense and reliable playmaking, tweaked his hamstring and had to leave early.So, in the span of one night, the Pacers saw their projected starter and his primary backup both go down, leaving a gaping hole that they’re now hoping Payne can fill. This isn't just a depth chart issue; it's a full-blown crisis for a team with playoff aspirations, forcing them to pivot faster than a crossover dribble.Payne’s arrival is a fascinating subplot. He and Wright were actually teammates last season with the Knicks, so it’s a weird bit of NBA symmetry.Payne, now 31, is a journeyman in the truest sense of the word. A first-round pick out of Murray State back in 2015, he’s had a tour of the league that would make a travel blogger jealous: Thunder, Bulls, Cavaliers, Suns, Bucks, 76ers, and Knicks.He’s not a star, but he’s a proven commodity. Last season in New York, he put up 6.9 points and 2. 8 assists, and over his 10-year career, he’s averaged 7.8 and 3. 2.The numbers won’t blow you away, but his value isn't just in the stat sheet. Anyone who watched the 2021 NBA Finals remembers him as a key piece for the Phoenix Suns, averaging 8.4 points and 3. 6 assists on that thrilling run that ultimately fell short against Giannis and the Bucks.He’s appeared in 477 games and started 71, so he knows what it takes to be both a sparkplug off the bench and a spot starter when the situation calls for it. He’s a left-handed guard who can get a little hot from deep and push the pace, which should fit nicely into Coach Rick Carlisle’s system that relies on tempo and spacing.The real question isn't just about Payne's individual skills, but what his signing says about the Pacers' contingency planning. This move is a stark reminder of how fragile an NBA season can be, especially for a team whose fortunes are so tightly wound around a single, transcendent talent like Haliburton.Without him, the entire offensive ecosystem changes. The Pacers aren't just looking for a body to bring the ball up the court; they need someone who can stabilize the second unit, provide leadership in a young locker room, and maybe even recapture a bit of that Phoenix magic where he was a crucial part of a championship-caliber team.It’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward flyer on a veteran who understands the assignment. For Payne, this is another chance to prove he belongs and to be part of a team that, despite the setbacks, has a solid young core with guys like Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin.The Central Division is wide open, and if the Pacers can weather this early storm and stay afloat until they get healthier, they could still be in the mix. But man, losing your franchise player and then seeing your insurance policies get injured in the first preseason game? That’s a brutal start.The pressure is now on Cam Payne to step in, learn the playbook on the fly, and provide some much-needed steadiness. For Pacers fans, you just have to hope this latest roster shuffle is the answer and not just another temporary patch on a leaking dam.
It’s quiet here...Start the conversation by leaving the first comment.
© 2025 Outpoll Service LTD. All rights reserved.