Former Phoenix Suns guard signs with Turkish basketball team
Cameron Payne, who played four season with the Phoenix Suns, has signed with Anadolu Efes SK.
Former Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne has inked a deal with Turkish basketball team Anadolu Efes SK, the team announced on October 3 via X. Payne spent four seasons (2019-23) with the Suns. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches, he averaged a career-high 9.8 points per game during his time in Phoenix and was a key player on three playoff teams.
The Suns reached the 2021 NBA Finals and won 64 games in the 2021-22 season, with Payne making crucial contributions as a bench spark. In Game 2 of the 2021 Western Conference Finals, he scored 29 points and dished out nine assists while Chris Paul was sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols. Payne's leadership was evident, leading the Suns to a 104-103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, securing a 2-0 series lead.
However, Payne's journey with the Suns ended in 2023, as he scored a playoff-career-high 31 points in his final game with the team, which the Suns lost to the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the conference semifinals. The Nuggets ultimately won the NBA championship. Payne's tenure with the Suns was also marked by controversy; he was arrested on June 14, 2024, for providing a false name to authorities.
Despite this, he continued to play professionally, joining the New York Knicks in 2024-25 and appearing with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023-24 season.
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