Veteran point guard Cameron Payne is keeping his focus on the NBA despite a serious offer from Partizan Belgrade.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Payne “has decided to stay home for now to wait for his next NBA opportunity,” even though Partizan showed strong interest amid injury to key guard Carlik Jones.
The Serbian club had been exploring backcourt reinforcements after Jones suffered an injury that left Zeljko Obradovic’s rotation without a natural playmaker.
Payne, 31, emerged as a prime target due to his experience, shooting, and ability to control pace — qualities that made him a reliable reserve in several NBA rotations over the past decade.
Payne briefly joined the Indiana Pacers earlier this month, signing on October 9 before being waived nine days later following the preseason. His decision to stay patient signals confidence that an NBA team will soon have a roster opening.
Over 10 seasons, Payne has built a reputation as a steady contributor off the bench. He has played 477 career NBA games, averaging 7.8 points and 3.2 assists while shooting 36.8% from three-point range.
His most productive stretch came with the Phoenix Suns, where he averaged 8.4 points and 3.6 assists during the 2020–21 season and played a key role in their run to the 2021 NBA Finals.
Payne later had stints with Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and New York, spending the 2024–25 campaign with the Knicks, where he appeared in 72 games and averaged 6.9 points in 15.1 minutes.
