Today, the one and only Cam Payne was traded from my home team of the Phoenix Suns to the San Antonio Spurs. Absolutely devastating news for me, potentially the largest Cam Payne fan in the world at the moment. Maybe his family might top the list — but then, it’s me. So, I have decided to come on this website here and list my five favorite Cam Payne Suns’ moments in order.
5. The Story & The Call
This might not classify as a “moment” necessarily, but I think Cam Payne’s journey is still a story worth telling. Once known as Russell Westbrook’s dance partner, Payne saw himself out of the NBA prior to the 2019–20 season. The Raptors had cut him, and his NBA options were limited. So limited, in fact, that he signed with the Shanxi Loongs of the Chinese Basketball Association. It took him a month to get his paperwork in order to actually be able to play in the league, and then another month just chilling on the bench due to league rules regarding Americans. Finally, he got his chance and averaged 22.5 points per game in 2 games. So, he decided to come back to the United States, where he signed with the Texas Legends of the G-League. Immediately, he flourished in Texas’ system and would go onto drop 43 points in his sixth game with the team. This was in January 2020, and we all know what happened soon after — so it seemed Payne was going to have to wait a while for another opportunity. That was, until Monty Williams remembered a conversation he had with Payne when he was a member of the Thunder coaching staff. He essentially told Payne that he stunk. He “stressed the importance of arriving at the facility early,” when Payne was already doing it. Cam was playing so bad, that Monty didn’t even think he was practicing. When Monty asked Payne during quarantine if he remembered that conversation — Payne said absolutely, and the rest is history.
4. Mind Games, LeBron, & the Lakers
From his 2021 Game 1 fight with Montrezl Harrell to his flaunting of upside-down LA logo hats, the options for memorable CP Lakers moments were plentiful. Throughout the Cam Payne era, the Suns’ rivalry with the Lakers was predominantly one-sided, and it’s safe to say that Payne managed to get under their skin a little bit — both the players and the fans alike. In garbage time during the game on October 22 last year, LeBron couldn’t resist engaging in some trash talk directed at Payne from the bench. It wasn’t typical trash talk though. LeBron was telling Payne to “stay humble.” The irony. We all know Cam Payne is getting inside your head. No need to remind us.
3. Suns in 4?
During the Suns' 2021 Finals run, we were treated to countless memorable moments from Cam Payne. However, here, I want to shine a spotlight on one underrated gem. It took place during Game 4 of the Suns-Nuggets series, where the pressure was palpable for Phoenix. Maybe not so much for the players themselves, but they were certainly aware of him—the "Suns in 4" guy. The infamous Suns in 4 fight happened during Game 3, and the potential humiliation of failing to close out the series in Denver loomed large. That’s when Cam Payne stepped up. A masterclass in acting on a Nikola Jokic elbow led to a flagrant two call and subsequent ejection for the future Hall-of-Famer. The ejection inspired a dominant fourth quarter by Chris Paul and the Suns, and as the final seconds ticked away, a beautiful "Suns in 4" chant could be heard through Ball Arena.
2. A Duel with Curry
On November 16th, the Warriors came into Phoenix with hopes of gaining momentum on the road. Despite their struggles away from home, Golden State saw this matchup as an opportunity to make a statement against the #1 seed from last year. With Chris Paul out, there was a real possibility for the Warriors to pick up a W and get their season on track. Steph Curry, in particular, seemed convinced of this idea — as evidenced by his decent performance of 50 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in the Footprint Center. (Sidenote: I went to this game, and it was my first time really seeing Steph do something like that. It was kinda wild. Cam Payne still better.) So, naturally, the Warriors must have won right? Well, enter Cam Payne. In a spectacular display, Payne unleashed a 29-point game, leading the Suns to a double-digit win despite Curry’s 50-burger. Orchestrating the Suns’ offense in the absence of Chris Paul is never an easy task, but Payne has consistently risen to the occasion. I think this game in particular was a culmination of the process — from his days in Oklahoma City, to being a serviceable point guard in Phoenix.
1. The Cam Payne Game
We’ve covered the Nuggets’, Warriors’, and Lakers’ relationships with Cam Payne, but there is one more Western Conference foe that he has cooked in the playoffs. From a mysterious Kawhi Leonard injury that had him watching from a suite to Steve Ballmer’s thigh-grabbing antics, the Suns Clippers 2021 Western Conference Finals series was… special. However, the main headline emerged when Chris Paul tested positive for COVID, ruling him out for the first two games of the series. After Devin Booker’s 40-point triple-double in Game 1, the Suns needed Cam Payne to step up in Game 2 and take a 2–0 lead heading to LA, where the return of Chris Paul (and potentially Kawhi Leonard, according to speculation) awaited them. Payne’s task was to “hold the fort” while Paul was healing back in Los Angeles, but he did much more than that. From his mesmerizing up-and-unders to five crucial fourth-quarter assists, he led the Suns to a comprehensive victory in what became one of the most memorable moments of the Payne era. This is 100% because of the “Valley-Oop,” but Payne’s outstanding performance should never be forgotten. Even his impressive stat line of 29 points, 9 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals, and zero turnovers fails to fully capture the brilliance of his overall game that night. He even conquered Scott Foster’s horrible officiating! Kellan Olson described it well when he called it “one of the best individual playoff performances in franchise history."
Bonus: Go Spurs 🙃
Today, on the very day Payne was traded, he put on an absolute show and dropped 57 points at AEBL in Atlanta. And his response on Twitter was even better:
Whether he stays on the Spurs or goes elsewhere, I wish Payne the best in his future endeavors. I’m just sad he’s no longer a Sun…
Honorable Mentions:
This celebration against the Magic in February
The aforementioned Harrell fight
Any dance he’s ever done with Mikal Bridges
This assist to Cam Johnson’s buzzer-beater
The Sham-Payne nickname (Landry Shamet + Cam Payne)
Pour one out for Cam tonight, y’all.
