Offseason Report Card: Spurs get five As, three Bs and two Cs for summer moves

6. Cam Payne trade

Traded heavily-protected second-round pick to Phoenix for point guard Cameron Payne, 2025 second and cash

The Phoenix Suns cannot quite make up their mind. They seem entirely unconcerned about finances, blowing through the second tax apron and offering two-year deals in free agency that will cost new owner Matt Ishbia millions in extra money. Then they turn around and send a second-round pick to the Spurs to essentially dump Cameron Payne's contract, despite their seemingly massive need for a point guard.

The Spurs will certainly not shy away from an opportunity to help the Suns hurt themselves, not after the long history between these two franchises. Their timing with the signing of Tre Jones kept open enough cap space to make just such a trade as this.

Adding the second-round pick isn't a huge boon, a 2025 pick from New Orleans that is unlikely to be in the top handful of picks. What is more valuable is the presence of a second point guard, a veteran who has playoff experience and can pair with Jones to give Wembanyama and the rest of this roster a steady hand at the position.

Payne isn't anything special, but he's a solid backup point guard on a value contract. As with Bullock, there will likely be suitors for Payne by the Trade Deadline, allowing the Spurs to flip him for value. They could also keep him and potentially re-sign him to a value deal when he hits free agency this summer.

Grade: B+