Sixers to sign Cameron Payne after buyout with Serbian club

Cameron Payne is headed back to 76ers, with perhaps a little paperwork still in the way.

League sources tell The Stein Line’s Marc Stein that Payne will leave Partizan and join the Sixers for the rest of the season. The deal isn’t official yet, as Philadelphia still needs a Letter of Clearance from FIBA and can only contribute up to $875,000 toward Payne’s buyout, per Stein.

Payne, 31, signed with KK Partizan in December after being waived by the Pacers late in training camp. It marked his first stint overseas.

He appeared in 10 games for the Serbian club, averaging 12.4 points, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals, before being held out recently amid growing speculation about his future. Per Eurohoops, Partizan is set to receive roughly $1.75 million in the buyout.

For Payne, this is familiar ground. He finished the 2023-24 season with the Sixers after arriving from Milwaukee at the trade deadline, carving out a rotation role and sticking through the playoffs. He later signed with the Knicks, appeared in 72 games last season, and entered this year back on the free-agent carousel.

The timing makes sense for Philadelphia. The Sixers are thin in the backcourt after moving Jared McCain to Oklahoma City and currently sit at 13 standard contracts following the expiration of recent 10-day deals. They have room to add veterans without touching the tax.

Once cleared, Payne should have a chance to contribute quickly when the Sixers resume play Thursday against Atlanta.