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Adreian Payne didn’t see the beginning of his career pan out exactly how he wanted it to. After being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2014 NBA Draft, Payne had a solid summer in NBA Summer League. However, heading into the regular season, he was forced to sit out the first 10 games due to plantar fasciitis.
Upon his return, he was sent to the D-League. After going back and forth between there and the Hawks a couple of times, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in February. This is when his career took a turn for the better. Now on a squad with the likes of Kevin Garnett to use as a mentor, Payne could get the development he needed to be an NBA power forward.
In a loss on March 19, Payne had a career night starting for Garnett with 16 points and 15 rebounds — the potential was there all along, he just needed his shot.
Fast forward to his 2015 Summer League play, Payne is picking up where he left off — and now, he has even more competition in the front court. The Wolves drafted Karl-Anthony Towns No. 1 overall, and he will likely be a centerpiece for years to come. It is now Payne’s job to assure Flip Saunders he can be the guy right next to Towns for their future success.
In five games, Payne has outplayed Towns by averaging 14.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and he’s doing it in less time than Towns.
What’s impressive here, is that it would be easy to let Towns be “the man” right away; allow him to be aggressive and take the majority of touches in the post, allow him to snag the easy rebounds. But, Payne has done just the opposite. Payne has been the aggressor on both ends of the court. He has shown a tremendous ability to be a nasty defender — one of those guys you will end up hating to play against, but love that he’s on your team.
I’m not saying Payne is a better player than Towns, nor am I saying that we should worry about Towns. This is strictly about Payne’s development. The Wolves need a player like Payne on their roster. There is so much raw talent already, with guys like Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad. Payne only adds to their youth, but he also adds a tenacity to the mix.
As a tough player, Payne has also shown some touch from the outside. He has knocked down six three-point shots throughout his Summer League play, shooting the three ball at 37.5 percent. This is exactly the kind of player Minnesota needs after Garnett retires and leaves a void — someone who can play aggressively, as well as score at the four position.
Going forward, I would imagine we will see a lot more of Payne and Towns on the floor together. These two are young, raw and have much to learn still. But, if they live up to the potential they’ve already shown — namely Payne — the Wolves are going to have a fun front court for years to come.
Ryan Heckman is a writer for www.RantSports.com covering the NBA and NFL. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
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