Pacers Waive 10-Year Veteran Cameron Payne Amid Guard Injuries

The Indiana Pacers have decided to waive veteran guard Cameron Payne just days before the 2025-26 NBA season begins, despite his potential to fill gaps caused by injuries to key players Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell. Payne, a 10-year NBA veteran with a career average of 7.8 points per game, was signed on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract but failed to impress during preseason, shooting only 28.6% from the field and showing turnover issues. The Pacers had initially signed Payne as a replacement for Delon Wright, who was injured, but ultimately favored rookie guard Taelon Peter for the backup role. Waiving Payne will not result in dead cap money for Indiana, and the team is set to carry a full 15-man roster for the regular season, including the retention of center Tony Bradley. This move reflects the Pacers' decision to go in a different direction in their backcourt depth chart despite Payne's extensive NBA experience.