Knicks' latest free agent signing raises questions about plans for the backcourt

The New York Knicks on Monday made their first free agent addition of the summer.

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania , the Knicks are signing veteran point guard Cameron Payne to a one-year, $3.1 million contract.

The signing is a simple one on the surface: Payne gives the Knicks a veteran point guard off the bench, something they've lacked the past two seasons.

Payne has had something of a career renaissance after a slow start to his career that nearly saw him fall of the league. The 29-year-old point guard has shot 38% from three on nearly four attempts per game over the past four seasons. He's also averaged 7.1 assists to just 2.4 turnovers per-36 minutes over the last four seasons.

Payne figures to be solid insurance should Jalen Brunson or Miles McBride miss time with an injury. The Knicks also have rookie point guard Tyler Kolek, who at 23, has been considered an NBA-ready pick.

It is also worth noting that Payne and Bridges played together with the Phoenix Suns and appear to be close.

However, where Payne fits if the team is fully healthy is an interesting debate. Would the Knicks play Payne and McBride together? McBride is not a natural point guard, and the Knicks want playmaking next to him, which is where Payne could play a role. McBride is also a skilled defender, meaning he could likely defend some bigger guards alongside Payne. However, it would still be a small back-court, with McBride listed at 6-foot-1 and Payne listed at 6-foot-3.

And given the Knicks' minute crunch to play all of their wings, potentially leading to some small-ball, it's hard to imagine Tom Thibodeau playing McBride and Payne together consistently.

It's entirely possible that Payne just won't have a spot in the regular rotation.

However, the Payne signing also raises some questions on the trade front.

Payne's $3.1 million salary is similar to the $2.9 million salary of Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, who the Knicks have reportedly shown interest in.

McBride makes $4.7 million in 2024-25.

It's worth wondering if the Knicks view McBride or Payne as insurance for one another. Payne becomes trade-eligible on December 15. The Knicks could not only use his veteran presence in the backcourt — they could also use his salary for a trade.

Or, the Knicks may be willing to part with McBride if Payne plays well off the bench.

The Knicks could also pair multiple salaries together to trade for a higher-priced player.

(It's worth noting that the Jazz's reported asking price for Kessler seemingly exceeds what the Knicks can offer.)

SNY's Ian Begley tweeted shortly after the Payne signing that he doesn't believe the Knicks want to deal McBride. Begley had previously reported that the Knicks had no interest in including McBride in the Bridges trade.

For now, Payne looks like useful backcourt depth. But the Knicks front office seems to calculate moves several steps ahead, and this signing does seem somewhat curious when it comes to future transactions.