Cameron Payne just became the first regular rotation player from last year's New York Knicks team to officially head for the exit.
He won't be the last.
A league source confirmed to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post that Payne "will not be returning to" the team for next season. While hardly a surprise, the 31-year-old's departure marks New York's most prominent on-court exit from last year.
Every player who ranked in the top six of total minutes during the 2024-25 campaign is currently scheduled to come back. The same goes for Mitchell Robinson, who appeared in just 17 games due to an ankle injury.
For his part, Payne ranked eighth in total minutes played on the roster. He finished just behind Precious Achiuwa, who also isn’t expected to return, but whose departure has yet to become official.
Losing Payne is far from the biggest blow in the world. He tops out as a fourth guard in the rotation these days. But he played a pivotal role in saving the Knicks’ season. They do not win Game 1 of the Detroit Pistons series without him pouring in 11 fourth-quarter points. And if they don’t pick up that victory, who knows what happens?
Cam Payne’s departure was inevitable
Adding Jordan Clarkson earlier in the offseason was the first sign that Payne wouldn’t be back. The latter is valued for his individual shot creation more than anything. Clarkson mirrors that skill set, while providing more size, and a higher-end ability to draw shooting fouls.
Payne’s exit was further expedited by New York’s string of recent transactions. It signed Malcolm Brogdon, Landry Shamet, and Garrison Mathews to one-year non-guaranteed contracts, despite having room for only one of them. If the Knicks were planning to give Payne another look, he’d presumably be part of what looks like a backcourt training-camp battle.
New York’s interest in Brogdon, specifically, hints at a desire to change up the reserve ball-handling ranks. At 6’4”, he is slightly bigger than the 6’3” Payne. When healthy, he’s also a much better defender, as well as a more consistent three-point shooter.
This is the first of a few confirmed Knicks exits
More departures are coming down the pipeline. Achiuwa is already considered a goner. The Knicks are more intent on adding guards, and even if they scoop up another big, it clearly isn’t going to be him.
Delon Wright is also conspicuously absent from New York’s series of non-guaranteed signings. Despite showing plenty of interest in Ben Simmons earlier this summer, the Knicks are prioritizing backcourt reserves with more proven three-point strokes.
Even more critically, a trade is seemingly just around the corner. The Knicks only have enough room to sign one veteran player. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, though, they are starting to “weigh various trade scenarios” that enable them to keep both Brogdon and Shamet.
At minimum, this puts Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet at risk of being salary-dumped. Given New York’s focus on adding another ball-handler, it could also signal a willingness to shop Deuce McBride.
None of what’s next is etched in stone. But while Payne is the first notable piece from last year’s roster to earn a confirmed exit, he most certainly won’t be the last.