We have reached the doldrums of the NBA season. Minicamps are still six weeks away and Summer League is just a distant memory. For the Thunder, the offseason has seemed extra long. On top of the disappointment at the early end to last season the injury of Cameron Payne served to bore OKC fans this summer. While other rookies showed their wares this summer, Payne's injury kept him out of sight and out of mind. Let's examine what the rookie will mean for the Thunder in this pivotal year for the franchise.
At first glance it seems that anything Payne gives OKC this year is a bonus. His primary position, PG, is masterfully filled by All Star Russell Westbrook and the other guard slot is occupied by a conglomeration of more experienced players. Many fans might look at this and assume Payne will be sitting with Mo Cheeks a lot this year. I see another possibility though, a path where Billy Donovan thrusts Payne into an important role off the bench.
Scotty Brooks is not walking through that door. That fact is a point in Payne's favor because it is overwhelmingly likely that Donovan will provide the rookie more minutes than he could have seen under Robot Brooks. The question the is obviously, where can Payne fit in? I believe he will see the majority of minutes at point guard due to his lack of size. Simply put, he can't guard 2's in the NBA. Know who can guard 2's in the NBA though? Russell Westbrook. His versatility opens up way more options for Payne than a more traditional PG. Westbrook, in addition to being the Thunder's best PG, is also OKC's best SG. Think about it, wouldn't you rather play Westbrook at the 2 than Andre Roberson, Dion Waiters or Anthony Morrow? I'm not saying those guys don't have value, but in a vacuum Russell kills them all. Given that, the challenge may be to find a way to play Russ at the 2 with an above average point guard to maximize the Thunder lineup.
Then the question becomes who to play with Russ: Payne or veteran DJ Augustin. We know what DJ brings to the table. He can get the Thunder into the right sets and space the floor due to his quality jumper. We also know what he can't do. He is a below average defender and doesn't provide much in the way of creating for others. Certainly Payne's upside is higher. His quickness and inventiveness on offense should allow him to be a quality two way player. He can stay in front of quicker point guards that Augustin simply can't compete with and also is a better creator off the dribble. A more dynamic point guard could be a perfect tonic to cure the Thunder's stagnant offense. He also provides more spacing than any of the two guards other than Anthony Morrow. If the idea is to get your two best guards on the floor together then I believe you could see more Payne and Westbrook than you might think.
By no means do I expect this to be a starting lineup at any point nor do I think it is a combination that you will see early in the year. It may even be two years early to commit to this lineup in any real way. Just remember, the Thunder have been most dangerous over their time in OKC when Westbrook and Kevin Durant have played alongside another primary ball handler. I don't see another player who can perform that role a la Reggie Jackson or James Harden on the roster other than Cameron Payne. Maybe the baby faced guard from Murray State can be the difference this team needs to get over the hump and fulfill its championship destiny.
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