New San Antonio Spurs point guard Cameron Payne wishes he still was with Phoenix Suns

Cameron Payne has always worn his emotions on his sleeve.

After Denver eliminated the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals on a night he scored a playoff-career-high 31 points, Payne didn’t hide how he was feeling about it.

“It hurt, it hurt big time,” he said. “It hurt big time, especially with our team, it just hurt and in front of the fans, that’s not us. Especially after last year (against Dallas in Game 7 of the 2022 conference semifinals). We kind of did the same thing. It’s not a good feeling. I just wish it would’ve been at least a little closer.”

That wound up being Payne’s last game for Phoenix. The Suns traded him, a second-round pick and cash to the San Antonio Spurs last month for a protected second-round pick that includes a $6.5 million trade exception.

On Monday, Payne went on Instagram Live and talked about missing the Suns.

“Man, I love Phoenix, bro, I miss Phoenix already,” Payne said on the video. He was in the final year of his three-year, $19-million deal.

“I wish I was in Phoenix still but hey, it is where it is, man. They’re trying to win a chip and I respect it. I feel like they could’ve won a chip with me though 'cause like, I’m tough.”

Payne posted on his Instagram that he’s overseas, showing a video of the Louvre Pyramid in Paris.

The speedy and energetic 6-1 Payne played a key role in the Suns' run to the 2021 NBA Finals. He averaged 10.3 points in an injury-plagued 2022-23 season, but Payne helped the Suns get back in the semifinal series in starting after Chris Paul suffered an injury in Game 2 against the Nuggets.

Phoenix won Games 3 and 4 playing at a faster pace with Payne in the starting lineup to even the series at 2-2. The Suns had a chance to win Game 5 in Denver before losing by 12 points and dropping Game 6 at home by 25 points, but Payne posted a playoff career-high as he hit 7-of-9 shots from 3.

The attempts and makes were both playoff career highs for him.

The Suns fully guaranteed the final year of his contract for $6.5 million.

Payne spent time in Las Vegas last month with his now former Suns teammates watching the team’s Summer League squad, but he was on the trading block.

The Suns eventually dealt him. When the trade went down, Payne tweeted, "Love you Phx!" with a prayer emoji.

However, Payne has joined a team that has the 7-foot phenomenon in Victor Wembanyama, the top overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is coached by Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich and needs a veteran point guard.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cameron Payne expresses missing Phoenix Suns after trade to San Antonio Spurs