Cameron Payne's rocky Bulls tenure continued Wednesday with news that surgery is one option to address lingering issues with his troublesome right foot, a source confirmed.
Payne, the last remaining piece of the return in February's trade of Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to the Thunder, could miss more than two months, one source said. The Vertical first reported news of Payne's latest setback.
Thrust into the rotation after his acquisition, Payne played poorly in 11 games before coach Fred Hoiberg ended the experiment. Hoiberg's move was received positively within a locker room where players had privately questioned why Payne continued to receive minutes despite obvious struggles.
Following the season, management expressed the goal for Payne, who turned 23 earlier this month, to become better conditioned. His consistent participation in the team's offseason program had created some initial optimism.
But Payne struggled mightily in two summer-league outings before leaving to attend to a personal matter. He shot 9-for-26 with seven turnovers in Las Vegas.
And now, his injury issues have returned.
They're significant in that Payne underwent surgery in July 2016 to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot. He then suffered an acute fracture on the same bone in September 2016, though the Thunder's official release at the time said the injuries were unrelated. The team called the initial injury a stress fracture and the second instance an impact fracture.
Nevertheless, Payne didn't make his season debut until Jan. 7, 2017, and played 20 games with the Thunder before being dealt with Anthony Morrow and Joffrey Lauvergne. Morrow remains an unrestricted free agent. In July, the Bulls rescinded a qualifying offer to Lauvergne, who signed with the Spurs.
Beginning a full rebuild, the Bulls envisioned Payne playing backup point guard behind Kris Dunn, a role that now appears earmarked for forgotten man Jerian Grant. Worse, it calls into question Payne's long-term future with the franchise after being billed "a young asset" following the trade.
At the time of the trade, management expressed confidence that Payne's foot issues wouldn't be limiting.
Payne's $2.2 million salary for 2017-18 is guaranteed. He's under team control for the next two seasons, including a $3.2 million team option for 2018-19.
