April 05, 2026
Cam Payne will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks after suffering a right hamstring strain during the Sixers' loss to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, the team said Sunday evening.
Payne, who the Sixers signed out of Serbia in February for his second stint with the organization in three years, was a rotation regular for head coach Nick Nurse for several weeks. He recently fell out of favor, with Nurse using rookie starting shooting guard VJ Edgecombe as his backup point guard. Edgecombe, whose strides as an on-ball player have been noticeable over the last month or so, will continue to have plenty of chances to operate with the ball in his hands.
Edgecombe was always more likely to lead Tyrese Maxey-less lineups than Payne in any postseason setting, and now Payne's regular season is over; the Sixers' 82nd game is one week away. He will also miss some postseason action, too. Behind the Sixers' strong backcourt trio of Maxey, Edgecombe and Grimes is 40-year-old veteran Kyle Lowry, who in 113 minutes this season has yet to attempt a two-point shot.
Payne and rookie Johni Broome – still recovering from right knee surgery – are the only Sixers who will be unavailable for Monday's road game against the San Antonio Spurs. Joel Embiid, sidelined on Saturday with the designations of right oblique injury management and illness, was not listed on the report, suggesting he will face off with Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.
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