Sixers draft target: PG Cameron Payne

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Cameron Payne
Position: Point guard
Height/weight: 6-2/185
School: Murray State
 
Payne has skyrocketed up draft boards in the last month. He went from being projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick to a fringe Top 10 pick. Payne will work out for the Lakers (second pick) and Knicks (fourth pick) before the draft. It's a stretch to think those teams will select Payne, but the fact he's working out for them is a good indication of how highly teams picking at the top of the draft think of him.
 
Payne had a huge sophomore season at Murray State, averaging 20.2 points, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game and winning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year honors. He shot 45 percent from the field and 38 percent from three-point territory. The biggest concern when it comes to Payne is the level of competition he faced in college playing in the OVC. But his draft stock should be aided by the success of recent mid-major prospects such as Stephen Curry (Davidson), Damian Lillard (Weber State), C.J. McCollum (Lehigh) and Elfrid Payton (Louisiana Lafayette).
 
Strengths
Payne can score. In today's NBA, that's a prerequisite for point guards. He can get to the rim and shoot from the perimeter. Payne also had no trouble getting to the foul line in college and was effective when he got there, converting 79 percent of his free throw attempts.
 
However Payne is far from a one-trick pony on the offensive end. He sees the floor well and sets up his teammates, as evidenced by those 6.0 assists per game last season. Payne is not just a gifted passer, but he's also a willing distributor of the basketball. He was clearly the most talented player on his college team but he didn't try to do it all himself on the offensive end.
 
Payne also has a long, rangy frame (his wingspan measured 6-7) that benefits him on the defensive end. 
 
Weaknesses
Payne needs to add bulk to his wiry frame in order to withstand the grind that is an 82-game NBA season. He'll be bumped and jostled on his drives to the basket far more often in the NBA than he was in college. Payne will also be tested defensively to a much greater extent. He has the athleticism to excel on that end of the floor, but does he want to be a good defender? Considering the number of outstanding point guards in the NBA right now, Payne will be challenged defensively on a nightly basis. 
 
There is also the aforementioned level-of-competition issue. Payne was terrific in college, but he was terrific playing in the OVC. Payne would have been a star in the ACC and Big Ten as well, but that "mid-major prospect" label is a tough one to shed in the eyes of NBA talent evaluators. Luckily for Payne, guys like Curry and Lillard have paved the way to the lottery for future mid-major prospects.
 
How he'd fit with Sixers
Payne would fit very well with the Sixers. They are in desperate need of a point guard and scoring, two things Payne provides. He also has that athletic and lanky build that Sam Hinkie seems to prefer, if past drafts are any indication.
 
The only question is how the 76ers view him compared to fellow point guard prospects D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay. There is a good chance the Sixers will take a point guard with the third pick. I'm guessing they are leaning more towards Russell or Mudiay than Payne. 
 
NBA comparison
Payne has a skill set similar to Devin Harris. He actually kind of looks like him, too. Payne may have a higher ceiling than Harris did, but Harris has enjoyed a decent 13-year career. In his prime, Harris was one of the best point guards in the league. He averaged 21.3 points and 6.9 assists for the Nets in 2009.
 
Draft projection
It's looking more and more like Payne will be a Top 10 pick. There's a chance that he falls out of the Top 10, but he shouldn't be on the board much longer. I'm projecting he goes somewhere in the eight to 12 range.

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