A year ago today, Phoenix Suns backup point guard Cameron Payne was sitting at home, wondering if he would ever get another chance in the NBA. He’d already been a year out of the league with short stops in China and the G-League to keep hope alive for another NBA call, but then COVID-19 pandemic shut down him down again.
He was still just 25 years old, only five years removed from being an NBA first round lottery pick, taken 14th overall right after Devin Booker and just ahead of Kelly Oubre Jr. Payne’s future was bright on draft night, with four good contract years on a solid playoff team awaiting him.