No. 2 LA Clippers free agent target who played for Ty Lue: Cameron Payne
If the LA Clippers can’t get a deal done with Jackson, Cameron Payne should be a point guard they take a look at.
Payne hasn’t been Jackson this postseason, but he’s played solid basketball, and filled in for Chris Paul nicely when he’s been out or hampered for medical reasons.
In Games 2 through 5 of the first round of the playoffs (when Paul’s shoulder was hampering him), he scored 15.8 points per game, dropped 4.5 dimes per game, and picked up 1.8 steals per game. He shot 49% as a point guard and 45% from three.
In his two starts vs. the Clippers in the Western Conference Finals, he put up 40 total points, 18 total assists, three total steals, three total blocks, and shot 17 of 34 from the field.
He was sensational, especially in Game 2 when he went 29 and 9 (assists) with two blocks and two steals. He was 12 of 24 that game.
Payne is one of the reasons the Clips ended up dropping the series, and he would be a very cheap option. He played for under $2 million this year. He’s not going to cost much.