Prospect Watch: Cameron Payne

The Thunder maybe, sort of, who knows, might have a promise with Cameron Payne, if you’re to believe some of the pre-draft buzz that circles the internet. Regardless of if they do or not, they like him. They brought him in for a private workout and with Payne’s stock soaring, he’s certainly a player if available, they’d consider at No. 14.

Here’s the book on the 6-foot-1 point guard from Murray State: He’s got great feel and instincts, can shoot a little, is left-handed, can create and pass, and can score from all over. The minuses are his size, his lack of strength, his average finishing ability at the rim and concerns of defense at the next level.

In the podcast I did with Sam Vecenie, he made some really interesting points about Jerian Grant in comparison to Payne. And seeing as he really knows what he’s talking about, it was tough to look past that. Especially with this one hangup that I can’t totally get past — Payne is 6-foot-1. And Presti really likes big guards.

But it’s hard to ignore all the skill Payne has. He’s smooth, he’s crafty, he’s intelligent, and he appears the kind of player that is only going to improve. Having more smart players that understand the game is never a bad thing.

The question for him is, can he play alongside Russell Westbrook? Because spending a lottery pick on someone slotted for backup minutes the next five years seems wasteful. (Unless of course it’s Presti approaching it as possible future insurance if Westbrook takes off in 2017.) D.J. Augustin is already in place for next season and while having three point guards is typically standard for the Thunder, using the 14th pick just to increase roster depth feels like being overly pragmatic. If this were the 24th pick, like Reggie Jackson was, it makes more sense.

If Payne can fit with Westbrook — which I think he could — then it’s a potentially dynamite pick. You shore up your second unit with more youth and have added offensive firepower to go with Dion Waiters, Anthony Morrow and Augustin.

This really comes down to what the Thunder assesses Payne’s ceiling to be. And just how versatile he can be. And if he’s available at all.