What did Cameron Payne do? 76ers guard in deep water over legal issues

Philadelphia 76ers guard Cameron Payne was arrested on Friday morning in Scottsdale, Arizona according to a report from TMZ. The report alleges that police were called to an incident in Scottsdale in the early hours of Friday morning, at which point they ran into Payne and a person who wasn't named or described in the TMZ report.

No further details about the encounter between the NBA guard and Scottsdale PD were made available, however, the situation ended with Payne being arrested. According to the report, Cameron Payne was arrested for refusing to provide his name to police during an investigation and making a false police report.

After being arrested, the report indicates that Payne was released, although it's unclear if any sort of bail was posted.

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Looking at what Cameron Payne's arrest could mean for his future in the league

Payne is, of course, in the midst of the NBA offseason after the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the playoffs. Before the start of the 2023-24 season, he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on a one-year deal worth $2.8 million, but the Bucks traded him to Philly after 47 games.

Before his stint in Milwaukee, Payne spent several years playing for the Phoenix Suns, joining the team for the end of the 2019-20 season. He stayed with the team for three years, playing for the Suns through the 2022-23 season before hitting free agency.

With the 76ers, he saw increased usage compared to his time in Milwaukee, with his minutes per game average returning to 19.4mpg, a figure on par with his time in Phoenix. With the increased minutes, Payne’s points and assists per game averages also improved during his 31- game stint with the 76ers during the regular season.

Now, following a first-round exit from the playoffs, it’s unclear what the future holds for Payne. His one-year deal with the 76ers is up, meaning he should be preparing to hit free agency this summer, however, his latest legal issues could be a red flag to NBA teams.

While he has proven to be a spark plug off the bench and has delivered in crunch time, his latest legal issues could impact his stock heading into free agency. As we’ve seen in the past with other NBA players, teams could be hesitant to acquire players going through legal problems.

Given that, Cameron Payne and his legal team will likely look to get his latest arrest resolved soon.