Phoenix Suns would not be where they are without Cameron Payne

He was drafted 14th overall in 2015, could not find a home in the NBA, played a season in China, then worked his way back into the league via the G-League, only to find himself as the Sixth-Man of the Phoenix Suns, who now lead 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals. 

Cameron Payne’s journey has been remarkable and without him, this Suns team would not be as good as they have been in these NBA playoffs. Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton, Chris Paul and Jae Crowder are going to get all the attention, but Payne has been just as important, if not more important at times, during the playoffs. 

In Game 2’s victory, Payne had 29 points on 12-24 shooting and had 9 assists in 37 minutes as the team’s primary and starting point guard. Chris Paul, the “Point God” himself has missed the first two games of this series due to Health and Safety protocols, yet the Suns have played with that “next man up” mentality and this has been Payne’s time to shine! 

From being out of the league to being a key piece in the Suns’ championship puzzle, Cameron Payne’s story is quite remarkable. During the regular season, Payne was nothing more than a back-up guard on the bench, but with Paul hurting his shoulder in the first-round of these NBA playoffs and now Paul missing the first few games of this series, Cam Payne has ascended to being one of the guys opponents need to try and stop now.

READ MORE: NBA Playoffs: Suns shine in Game 1 victory over Clippers in Western Conference Finals 

He took 24 shots in Game 2, which was more than every other player that stepped on the court in this game! The confidence he has right now and the confidence that his team has in him is unmatched, which is why the Suns need Cameron Payne just as much as he needs them. Payne is the key for this Suns team and could be one of the big reasons why they advance to the NBA Finals this year.