Cameron

Payne

Payne strained his right hamstring during the first half of Saturday’s loss to the Pistons. While his availability does not affect fantasy basketball, it does cut into Philadelphia’s depth at point guard. VJ Edgecombe may have to do a bit more, especially when Tyrese Maxey is not in the game. The two-week timeframe means that Payne would not be available for the Play-In tournament if Philadelphia can’t earn a top-six seed.

Payne played nine minutes before heading back to the locker room during the second quarter. The veteran backup has since been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain. His absence for the remainder of Saturday’s game may push Kyle Lowry into the rotation, but it does not affect fantasy basketball.

Once again used in a reserve role, Payne’s streak of consecutive made three-pointers ended at 10 during Thursday’s defeat. He still had a solid night scoring-wise, but those who have streamed him may have hoped for a better assist tally. Even if Payne continues to come off the bench, which is likely since the 76ers want to put the ball in VJ Edgecombe’s hands more, he’s worth streaming while Tyrese Maxey (finger) is out.

The 76ers won’t have Joel Embiid, Adem Bona or Andre Drummond for Thursday’s game. As a result, Barlow shifts to the starting center spot, with Watford moving into the starting lineup. Also, Edwards starts because Kelly Oubre Jr. is out.

Payne was pushed back to the bench with VJ Edgecombe (back) available, but he still played an important role off the bench. He had a monster first half, scoring 16 points with four three-pointers without missing a shot while also adding three stocks. Though he didn’t remain perfect from the floor, he did remain perfect from deep and the free throw line in what ended up being an incredible performance from Payne. This was the first time in franchise history that a player made at least eight triples without missing, and he became the first 76ers reserve to finish with at least 30 points and 10 assists while coming off the bench. The 31-year-old who signed a standard deal to return to the NBA during the All-Star break ended up setting new career highs for both points and three-pointers. With Tyrese Maxey (pinky) set to be re-evaluated in three weeks, Payne will be an important piece for the 76ers for the rest of this month and should be considered a must-roster player after this performance.

Maxey has a tendon injury in his right pinky finger, which is his shooting hand. The injury occurred in Saturday’s loss to Atlanta, and he missed Monday’s game against the Cavaliers and had already been ruled out against the Grizzlies on Tuesday. This will have Maxey being re-evaluated on March 31, though he could remain sidelined longer than that. VJ Edgecombe is set to serve as the starting point guard against Memphis and could remain in that role for most of this month, with Cameron Payne filling out the backup minutes.

Edgecombe is back after a three-game absence, and he’s going to spend a lot of time on the ball. As long as the rookie’s back doesn’t flare up, that’s great news for managers who have VJ on their rosters. Cameron Payne will head to the bench, taking on a role in which he offers limited fantasy value.

After a three-game absence, Edgecombe has been cleared to return on Tuesday. As a result, Cameron Payne or Quentin Grimes will head to the bench. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Grimes offers a much higher fantasy ceiling than Payne. With 76ers head coach Nick Nurse saying that Edgecombe will get plenty of on-ball reps, Payne may be the odd man out of the starting lineup.

Payne filled in as the starting point guard, as the 76ers were without Tyrese Maxey due to a sprained finger. While the scoring output was somewhat limited, the veteran point guard did not commit a turnover in his 28 minutes. With Maxey already ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Grizzlies, Payne will retain streaming value for at least one more game.

Already without VJ Edgecombe, the 76ers won’t have Tyrese Maxey for at least the next two games. The All-Star guard has been replaced in the lineup by Payne, who’s worth streaming in deep leagues. However, Grimes should be the priority add for fantasy managers.