Payne finished with 18 points (7-12 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 1-1 FT), two rebounds, five assists and one steal in 21 minutes during Thursday's 116-113 win over the Magic.
Payne didn't outplay Chris Paul, but he gave the Suns a huge spark off the bench. He's now scored in double figures in back-to-back games as a reserve for just the second time this season, but it would be a stretch to expect him to deliver these numbers regularly in the upcoming weeks. Payne is averaging 8.6 points, 2.9 assists and 2.1 rebounds across 15.2 minutes per game since the All-Star break (10 appearances).
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Scores 13 points off bench
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Payne closed with 13 points (4-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and two assists over 17 minutes during Tuesday's 116-104 loss to the Bucks.
Payne got hot from deep and scored his most points since Feb. 24, when he posted 14 in 16 minutes during his return from a lengthy injury absence. Over his past nine appearances, the lefty point guard has averaged 7.6 points, 2.7 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 14.6 minutes. While his overall production isn't eye-popping, he's capable of offensive explosions on certain occasions.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Pops for 14 points in return
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Payne (foot) finished with 14 points (5-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 1-4 FT), four rebounds and one steal in 16 minutes in Friday's 124-115 win over the Thunder.
Playing for the first time since Jan. 4, Payne settled back into a spot on the second unit as the top backup to starting point guard Chris Paul, resulting in Saben Lee being bumped from the rotation. Though Payne produced well during his time on the court, he's unlikely to see his minutes pick up in any sort of major way unless Paul or Devin Booker are sidelined at any point.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Available Friday
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Payne (foot) is available Friday against the Clippers, Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com reports.
Payne has been out for nearly two months and will likely be eased back into the rotation. Once he has his legs under him, Payne will be able to provide deep-league fantasy managers with points, three-pointers, assists and steals. Saben Lee could fall out of the rotation with this news.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Questionable Friday
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Payne (foot) is questionable for Friday's game against the Clippers, Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com reports.
Payne has been sidelined since Jan. 6 due to his right foot sprain and is expected to return for Friday's matchup, but he'll carry a questionable designation. If he's able to suit up during the Suns' first game after the All-Star break, he'll likely face significant restrictions.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Likely to return after break
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Payne (foot) is slated to return to the court for the Suns' Feb. 24 matchup with the Clippers, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Although Payne has not officially been cleared, he indicated that he will play in the first game after the All-Star break. He has been sidelined since Jan. 6 with a sprained right foot and will likely be under significant restrictions upon his return. When available, Payne should take over backup point guard duties behind Chris Paul.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Sidelined through All-Star break
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The Suns announced Monday that Payne (foot) will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Payne has missed over a month due to his foot injury and still lacks a clear timeline for a return, but the Suns have already dismissed the possibility of him playing Tuesday against the Kings or Thursday against the Clippers. If Payne is cleared to resume practicing shortly after his re-evaluation, he could have a chance at being ready to go when the Suns open their post-break schedule Feb. 24 against the Thunder. In the meantime, Payne's ongoing absence should clear the way for Saben Lee to serve as starting point guard Chris Paul's primary backup.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Out at least another week
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The Suns announced Friday that Payne (foot) will be re-evaluated in a week, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
While Payne continues to progress in his recovery from a right foot sprain, it's not yet clear when he'll be able to return to game action. The 28-year-old has been re-evaluated several times over the past month, so fantasy managers shouldn't hold their breath waiting for the lefty point guard to be cleared. Further clarity on Payne's timeline should be available following his next evaluation.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Without timetable for return
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Payne (foot) won't play Monday against the Raptors and is out indefinitely, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Head coach Monty Williams said Payne didn't do anything during last Friday's practice, and despite progressing well in rehab, the lefty point guard hasn't done enough to start thinking about a potential return date. Payne has played in only two games since Dec. 13, and with the All-Star break just over two weeks away, it's plausible that the Suns keep the 2015 first-round pick out until the second half of the season kicks off.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Out at least another week
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The Suns announced Tuesday that Payne (foot) will be re-evaluated in one week, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com reports.
Payne was already ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Hornets, which will mark his 10th straight absence with a right foot sprain, but the backup point guard will now be shelved for at least a few more games beyond that. The Suns recently got Chris Paul back in the mix, but they'll still be without Payne, Devin Booker (groin) and Landry Shamet (foot) for the foreseeable future.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Remains out
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Payne (foot) won't play in Tuesday's game against the Hornets, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Payne will miss his 10th straight contest while recovering from a right foot sprain. The Suns have been quiet about a timetable for his return, though he was set to be re-evaluated over the weekend. Payne's next chance at a return will arrive Thursday against Dallas.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Won't play Sunday
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Payne (foot) remains out for Sunday's game against the Grizzlies, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Payne was due for a re-evaluation this weekend after suffering a right foot sprain Jan. 4 and missing the Suns' subsequent eight games, but Phoenix has yet to provide an update on where exactly he stands in his recovery. With no indication that Payne has been cleared to resume practicing since being sidelined with the injury, he may face an uphill battle to be available for any of the Suns' three games during the upcoming week.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Out two-plus weeks
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Payne (foot) will be re-evaluated in two weeks, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
A foot sprain kept Payne out from Dec. 15 through Dec. 30 before he returned Jan. 2 and played two games prior to sitting again Friday. It's been determined that the guard needs even more time off and is a tough blow for the Suns with Devin Booker (groin) out for at least another few weeks and Cameron Johnson's (knee) timetable still unclear. Landry Shamet, Damion Lee and Duane Washington should continue seeing extra minutes.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Sidelined Friday
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Payne (foot) will not play in Friday's game against the Heat, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Payne missed nine games in December with a foot injury and aggravated the issue in Wednesday's contest. He will join Devin Booker (groin) on the sideline Friday, which will allow Duane Washington and Landry Shamet to see larger roles. Payne's next chance to play will come Sunday against Cleveland.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Out for remainder of game
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Payne won't return to Wednesday's game versus the Cavaliers due to right foot discomfort.
Payne recorded two points, two assists and one rebound in nine minutes before exiting Wednesday's game. His status for Friday's matchup with the Heat is uncertain.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Bags seven assists in return
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Payne (foot) finished with eight points (3-7 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven assists and one rebound across 18 minutes off the bench in Monday's 102-83 loss to the Knicks.
Suiting up for the first time since Dec. 13, Payne stepped back into his usual role as the Suns' top guard off the bench and came through with a useful assist total. While Chris Paul is healthy, Payne's overall fantasy upside will be capped, but he could have an opportunity to pick up a few extra minutes while the Suns turn to a collection of players to help fill in for Devin Booker (groin), who will likely be sidelined until at least late January. Payne, Landry Shamet, Damion Lee and Duane Washington may all absorb Booker's minutes to some degree.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Officially available Monday
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Payne (foot) is available for Monday's game against the Knicks, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com reports.
Payne was deemed probable ahead of Monday's matchup, and he'll officially be able to return to action after missing the last nine games. He came off the bench in his four appearances prior to his absence and averaged 10.8 points and 3.0 assists in 16.0 minutes per game during that time, but it's possible his playing time is monitored against New York.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Probable to face Knicks
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Payne (foot) is probable to face the Knicks on Monday, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Payne has been dealing with a foot injury that has kept him out since Dec. 15, and the serviceable point guard has missed nine games in a row. The probable tag represents a step in the right direction, and if Payne ends up being available, then he should operate as Chris Paul's backup off the bench. He averaged 11.7 points and 5.7 assists per game across seven December appearances.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Sitting out Friday
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Payne (foot) will miss Friday's game versus the Raptors.
Payne doesn't have a clear timetable for his return to action, but Friday will mark his ninth consecutive game off. With Devin Booker (groin) and Landry Shamet (Achilles) also out, the Suns will likely turn to Duane Washington, Damion Lee and Josh Okogie, in addition to some extra minutes elsewhere, to fill the void. Chris Paul should handle as many minutes as possible at point guard with minimal depth behind him.
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Suns' Cameron Payne: Ruled out Wednesday
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Payne (foot) has been ruled out for Wednesday's matchup against the Wizards, Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com reports.
Payne hasn't placed since Dec. 13 due to a right foot strain, but he's hoping to return sometime during the Suns' current six-game road trip. His next chance to suit up will come Friday in Toronto.
