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Anadolu Efes sign NBA veteran as Mike James replacement. Anadolu Efes signed Cameron Payne for the remainder of the 2026-27 season following Mike James’ severe Achilles injury.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul have moved quickly to strengthen their backcourt following Mike James’ severe Achilles tendon injury and signed veteran guard Cameron Payne for the remainder of the 2026-27 season.

The Turkish club officially announced the deal on Saturday.

Payne, 32, most recently played for the Philadelphia 76ers after beginning the 2025-26 season in Europe with Partizan.

During his EuroLeague stint in Belgrade, he averaged 12.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals across 10 appearances while shooting 33.3% from three-point range.

After joining Partizan in December 2025, Payne returned to the NBA in February and averaged 7.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 22 games for the 76ers.

The No. 14 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft has appeared in 499 regular-season NBA games during his career, averaging 7.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.

Efes react after losing James for 7-9 months

Mike James suffered the injury during Thursday’s 77-72 EuroLeague loss to Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade.

He went down without contact late in the third quarter and was taken off the court on a stretcher.

Efes confirmed Friday that James underwent Achilles tendon repair surgery. The club expects him to remain sidelined for approximately seven to nine months, depending on the progression of his rehabilitation