3 former Chicago Bulls players finding most success in the bubble

3. Former Bulls finding success in Orlando: Cameron Payne, Point Guard

Once his run with the Bulls was over, it looked like the NBA journey of the former Murray State Racers 6-foot-3 and 190 pound point guard Cameron Payne could also be over. The 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft of the Oklahoma City Thunder had a spotty track record of success early in his pro career.

Even roughly half a decade into his NBA career, Payne has not even played in 170 regular season games. He’s played in 161 career regular season games (67 of which came during his tenure with the Bulls). Among those 67 games played in his run with the Bulls for a few seasons, Payne managed to start in 26 games (only 28 total starts in his career). He averaged 6.7 points per game, 2.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks. And Payne shot 39.7 percent from the field, 33.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 77.8 percent from the free-throw line.

But since landing with the Phoenix Suns prior to the NBA’s restart in Orlando, Payne caught fire. He only got to play in eight games with the Suns at Disney World, but he made the absolute most of his opportunity. What also helped the long-term cause for Payne in terms of sticking around in the NBA is the fact that he signed a multi-year contract with the Suns.

In those eight games played with the Suns, Payne averaged 10.9 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks. He shot 48.5 percent from the field, 51.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line. He registered a career-best 1.5 box plus/minus rating, .120 win shares per 48 minutes, 61.2 true shooting percentage, and a 115 offensive rating/110 defensive rating.