Knicks Sign Former 76ers Guard

The New York Knicks have gotten a Philadelphia 76er to defect in their apparent Atlantic Division arms race

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Knicks will sign Payne to a one-year dea worth $3.1 million. Payne played 36 games with the 76ers last season, including five of the six postseason against the Knicks in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

New York shores up its backcourt depth with the reported addition of Payne, who has racked up the miles as an NBA journeyman. The Knicks will be Payne’s seventh team in 10 seasons, averaging 7.9 points and 3.3 assists in his first nine.

Payne is perhaps best known for his efforts off the bench with the Phoenix Suns, who hosted four of his seasons to date. He earned 10.8 points and 4.9 assists en route to the top of the Western Conference leaderboard during the 2021-22 season, both full-year career-highs. Ironically enough, Payne put up a sterling 17-point, 16-assist double-double against the Knicks in a March 2022 victory.

Payne began last season with the Milwaukee Bucks before he was sent to Philadelphia in a deadline deal for Patrick Beverley. He would average 7.4 points and 2.6 assists in 31 regular season appearances before serving as a depth star in the 76ers’ postseason cameo. Payne helped delay the metropolitan advancement in Game 3 of the series, notably scoring 11 points and swatting two shots in a 125-114 victory.

Interior depth has been the glaring hole for the Knicks as the dust has settled this offseason, so it’s perhaps surprising to see them go after another backcourt man. New York enjoyed the in-season breakout of Miles McBride but bid farewell to Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Malachi Flynn over the course of this offseason. They did bring back Alec Burks for another tour in a deadline deal with the Detroit Pistons but he signed with the Miami Heat this summer.

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