The former point guard's struggles prove Suns were right to drop him

If there's one area the Phoenix Suns have seriously improved this offseason, it's the point guard position. New signing Tyus Jones only needed a single game to break records, while Monte Morris came off the bench when needed and was largely reliable in a small role.

That's a big difference from a season ago, when Devin Booker and Bradley Beal each tried to do their best Chris Paul impression on any given night. Injuries to Beal limited his ability to do this – and although Booker had a high number of assists per game in his career, it hindered his incredible ability to score points.

There's no doubt that the Suns could have brought Payne back this summer, and a small portion of the fan base in the Valley actively wanted the organization to do so. The reason for this was some nice playoff moments for the team in the past that can never be taken away from Payne.

Whether he liked it or not, he stood up and was counted on for the Suns in the postseason, while the same couldn't be said of many other role players during their time in Phoenix. But considering that the prospect of Payne returning here was the most likely outcome as recently as March of this year, the fact that the Suns now have Jones and Morris is frankly incredible.

Payne bounced between the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers last season, with neither feeling comfortable keeping him long-term. He managed ten starts between both franchises and it's perhaps no surprise that neither had the kind of season they were hoping for.

Payne alone is obviously not the reason for this – it would be unfair to place that blame solely on him – but his start with the New York Knicks wasn't exactly stellar either. There's a notable drop-off when Jalen Brunson goes to the bench – which you'd expect, of course – but Payne brings little to the table when he's out there. Except maybe some defensive intensity/IQ plays.

So far, he's racked up six points and three assists in just over 16 minutes a night. A little less than the average time he spent between Milwaukee and Philadelphia last year, and further evidence that the 30-year-old continues to trend in the wrong direction around the league. He's not a very good defender with a quick shot, although he's always been a willing passer.

If the Knicks had Jones in his place now, they would actually have one of the best rosters in the entire league. As it is, they're still in great shape, and yet the introduction of Payne makes them noticeably worse. It's no surprise that Karl-Anthony Towns tends to stay with him on the outside, giving Payne a chance to give him the ball and get out of his way.

This may sound like an unnecessary dig at Payne, who in turn was a loyal servant of the Suns. But this is his seventh team in 10 seasons – he's getting close to Ish Smith's numbers – and he won't be missed at all in Phoenix. While they are trending in the right direction with their own improved generals, it will be telling to see if Payne lasts the entire season in New York. We think we already know the answer.