The Suns traded two-thirds of their talented backcourt contingent at this season’s trade deadline, in part because the front office believed the players they had in place were selfish.
But the moves were also made with an eye toward the future.
Once Goran Dragic said he wouldn’t re-sign as an unrestricted free agent this summer, his fate in Phoenix was somewhat sealed. Dealing for Brandon Knight -- a restricted free agent after this season, and one the Suns could retain by matching any offer he might receive -- theoretically placed the franchise in a more certain situation.
But Knight has struggled with injuries since coming to Phoenix, and it now appears as though he’ll end his first year there missing more games than he was able to participate in.
From Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic:Brandon Knight’s Suns season barely even started and now it appears to be shutting down.
Knight is not expected to play again this season for the Suns due to a heel bone bruise associated with the left ankle sprain that he suffered on March 9. Knight will not join the Suns on their four-game trip that starts with a Tuesday night game at Atlanta. When the Suns return, the only remaining game will be an April 14 season finale against the Los Angeles Clippers that Knight is not expected to play.
“It’s a tough situation,” Knight said. “If it feels better, we’ll see what happens but I’m in no rush to come back and make any worse. You can’t just keep pounding on a bruise and have it get better.”
This season was done for the Suns once they traded Dragic and Isaiah Thomas; where the Knight injury hurts them is in terms of what may happen this summer.
Knight only managed to appear in 11 games for Phoenix, and his averages were down significantly from what he tallied in Milwaukee as a go-to member of the starting lineup, in similar minutes per contest.
Phoenix will have a decision to make where Knight is concerned, especially if other teams come calling with offers that are based on his time in Milwaukee, rather than his injury-plagued time with the Suns in the second half of the season.