The Oklahoma City Thunder recently announced that their second-year guard Cameron Payne would be assigned to the D-League Oklahoma City Blue. The injured point guard has yet to play this year and will begin his rehab assignment there.

Cameron Payne had suffered a fractured bone in his right foot when he was in the training camp. Payne did not undergo surgery but is still making his way back to the team. The second-year guard resumed his activities which allow him to run and cut in the last few months.

During the team's road trip to Miami and Memphis, Payne started playing with some contact.

"He went from one-on-one to now, he's doing a little bit more three-on-three. This was part of the steps he needs to go through. He needs to go through eventually playing five-on-five and getting contact," Coach Billy Donovan said.

According to SB Nation, this is not the first time that the NBA team has assigned a rehabbing player to the D-League. Sending Cameron Payne to the Blue is a move made with a professional baseball mindset.

Sending Cameron Payne to the D-League Oklahoma City Blue will help him find his on-court rhythm again. He will have a chance to retune his cardio which needs some fixing after his injuries.

D-League Oklahoma City Blue will play at Salt Lake City on Tuesday, then in Reno on Thursday and Saturday vs. Greensboro. In his rookie season, Pyne averaged 5.0 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 rebounds.

According to News Ok, Payne has missed the Thunder's first 34 games of the season while he was in the process of recovering from the fracture in the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. What makes the D-League team an efficient option for Payne is that it has good training facilities and home games. Blue is a good option for assignments and reassignments (or "call-ups") throughout the season.

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