A new Brandon Knight?

[JCSunsfan]

So, does anyone have any hope that BK can be a positive contributor on this team next year?

http://arizonasports.com/story/1494017/brandon-knight-gains-new-perspective-life-future-suns/

Just a highlight.

Knight wants to be considered part of the core, much like Booker, Josh Jackson and T.J. Warren. He wants to be part of the franchise’s turnaround.

With a team that started six different point guards in 2017-18, Knight, who is under contract for two more seasons, could really offer some stability at the position. And even should the Suns draft a young point guard, Knight mentioned he is willing to play whatever role — starter, reserve, mentor — is asked of him.

“It’s all about helping us move forward,” he said. “I just know I’m going to come in and work my tail off and lift guys up, and make guys around me better and just try to take Phoenix where it needs to be — that’s my biggest goal. The fans and the city, they deserve that.”

Knight clearly wants to be remembered for what’s to come rather than what’s already happened.

“There’s been some things that could have went differently but they didn’t. It’s life, it’s pro sports. I pride myself on just being able to be able to say, like, I was part of something that grew into something special,” he said, pointing to the turnaround he was part of in Milwaukee.

 

[Chaplin]

So, does anyone have any hope that BK can be a positive contributor on this team next year?

I think we almost have to hope for that. What other choice is there at this point? Especially if we go with Ayton/Bagley with our pick.

 

[Suns_fan69]

The thing that holds Knight back the most is his shot selection. He'd have to shoot far far less than he's accustomed to for the Suns to be successful imo.

 

[elindholm]

The thing that holds Knight back the most is his shot selection. He'd have to shoot far far less than he's accustomed to for the Suns to be successful imo.

Yeah, I don't really see it as an attitude problem with him, just bad habits that are so ingrained that I don't see him getting past them.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Yeah, I don't really see it as an attitude problem with him, just bad habits that are so ingrained that I don't see him getting past them.

Maybe a year off . . .

One can hope.

 

[Errntknght]

I've no faith in BK at all. His words have always been far ahead of his actions... from day 1.

 

[Mainstreet]

I always thought Knight would improve if he was relieved of most of the ball handling. His decision making seemed to get him in trouble.

 

[Mainstreet]

I've no faith in BK at all. His words have always been far ahead of his actions... from day 1.

Being out of basketball for awhile can change one's perspective.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Talk about the time line. BK's clock is ticking. I think he is ready to play team ball.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I am curious to see what Knight looks like with better coaching and with Booker becoming an alpha. Knight is on record as saying Booker is the best player on the team and thus I don't find it hard to believe that he would be more than willing to defer to him.

 

[BC867]

Regardless of words, does Knight have the ability to make the rest of this young team better from the Point Guard position?

My opinion is ... no. He may hope to. But he's never shown it.

I wonder why some of our posters want to cling to our disappointments?

Someone posted today that we won't be as bad as we were.

Is that really what any fan wants to see next year? That we won't be the second worst team in our history again?

The better you prepare and the higher you set your sights, the higher and quicker you'll climb.

Psychology plays a role in sports success.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Regardless of words, does Knight have the ability to make the rest of this young team better from the Point Guard position?

My opinion is ... no. He may hope to. But he's never shown it.

I wonder why some of our posters want to cling to our disappointments?

Someone posted today that we won't be as bad as we were.

Is that really what any fan wants to see next year? That we won't be the second worst team in our history again?

The better you prepare and the higher you set your sights, the higher and quicker you'll climb.

Psychology plays a role in sports success.

First of all it is highly unlikely that Knight is going anywhere and as of right now he is the best PG and one of the best players on the roster. As for how he might help the team on the court, well he provides another scorer/shooter to take pressure off Booker and his ability to handle the ball and at least initiate some of his own offense allows Booker to play more off the ball.

 

[BC867]

...right now he is the best PG...

Until we get a legitimate Point Guard.

The more Booker covers the Point, the less he's playing his best position of Shooting Guard.

And, as we've seen, ever since Booker has had to cover our deficiencies at Point Guard, the more he's been injured.

I'd like to see our Suns take the highway to success, rather than back roads with their mud and pot holes.

Knight is a pot hole at Point Guard.

McDonough needs a GPS showing him the smoothest route to his destination.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Until we get a legitimate Point Guard.

The more Booker covers the Point, the less he's playing his best position of Shooting Guard.

And, as we've seen, ever since Booker has had to cover our deficiencies at Point Guard, the more he's been injured.

I'd like to see our Suns take the highway to success, rather than back roads with their mud and pot holes.

Knight is a pot hole at Point Guard.

McDonough needs a GPS showing him the smoothest route to his destination.

Again, there is about zero chance that Knight is not on the roster next year and there is a decent chance he will be one of the best guards on the roster next year.

You may not like the guy, but he has had some success in his career and if he is committed to playing more of a helper role next to Booker or coming off the bench than he will certainly be a help to the team.

I'm not saying that he will certainly be starting, but since he is likely not going anywhere (big contract and coming off injury) I would like to see if we can find a role for him to fill on the team.

We are currently starved for talent and any sort of talent that helps take some pressure off Booker and has him playing less time at the point the better off we will be as a team.

 

[Chaplin]

Remember, when Knight was actually healthy, this was a much different team.

 

[BC867]

Again, there is about zero chance that Knight is not on the roster next year and there is a decent chance he will be one of the best guards on the roster next year.

You may not like the guy, but he has had some success in his career and if he is committed to playing more of a helper role next to Booker or coming off the bench than he will certainly be a help to the team.

I'm not saying that he will certainly be starting, but since he is likely not going anywhere (big contract and coming off injury) I would like to see if we can find a role for him to fill on the team.

We are currently starved for talent and any sort of talent that helps take some pressure off Booker and has him playing less time at the point the better off we will be as a team.

I guess you're a realist and I'm an idealist. I just feel that if the comedy team of Sarver and McDonough have an excuse to settle for mediocrity, they will to save money.

It is not whether I like or don't like Knight. His history represents settling for mediocrity. Giving him a spot in the rotation blocks the way for someone who can help us move up. And it's up to management to make that happen. Knight's best use would be as instant offense in short spurts, just as the Brazilian Blur, but not in the rotation. I'd be OK with that.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I guess you're a realist and I'm an idealist. I just feel that if the comedy team of Sarver and McDonough have an excuse to settle for mediocrity, they will to save money.

It is not whether I like or don't like Knight. His history represents settling for mediocrity. Giving him a spot in the rotation blocks the way for someone who can help us move up. And it's up to management to make that happen. Knight's best use would be as instant offense in short spurts, just as the Brazilian Blur, but not in the rotation. I'd be OK with that.

I think you are simply wrong on this. This is a talent deprived team and we need depth in the worst way.

Knight will be virtually impossible to move and even if we did move him we would likely get nothing of value in return.

Thus the best option is to keep him as some form of depth for now. Preferably it would be to play backup to a better PG that we bring in, but as of now he would be next year's starting PG and I don't see any reason for that to change until there is someone better on the roster.

 

[Hoop Head]

Regardless of words, does Knight have the ability to make the rest of this young team better from the Point Guard position?

My opinion is ... no. He may hope to. But he's never shown it.

I wonder why some of our posters want to cling to our disappointments?

Someone posted today that we won't be as bad as we were.

Is that really what any fan wants to see next year? That we won't be the second worst team in our history again?

The better you prepare and the higher you set your sights, the higher and quicker you'll climb.

Psychology plays a role in sports success.

We can't trade Knight, he has no value on the open market, we couldn't give him away right now with his contract on the books for 3 more years. So hopefully he can contribute rather than being dead money. If he can't, then bench him. It doesn't hurt to give him a look because the Suns will be paying his salary regardless. Before he came to Phoenix he looked like an All-Star for the Bucks and I don't think anyone expects him to perform that well but if he can be a solid starter that would be great.

It's unrealistic to expect a huge improvement in 1 offseason. Of course everyone wants to see the team improve but it's not realistic to set the expectations for next year as making the playoffs. That is setting yourself up for disappointment.

Psychology does play a part in sports but it doesn't with being a fan. Fans can be miserable even if the team is doing well, we saw plenty of that during the D'Antoni years because a lot of people just waited for the inevitable playoff collapse. How fans felt didn't change how the team performed though. You mention that psychology plays a role but fail to recognize that Knight is saying all of the right things right now. Maybe his attitude can help the Suns and help him become a positive influence. It's odd that you'd try to bring up psychology playing a part in sports after mentioning fans expectations rather than your comments on Knight's comments because there is a correlation there but not with how fans feel.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

We can't trade Knight, he has no value on the open market, we couldn't give him away right now with his contract on the books for 3 more years. So hopefully he can contribute rather than being dead money. If he can't, then bench him. It doesn't hurt to give him a look because the Suns will be paying his salary regardless. Before he came to Phoenix he looked like an All-Star for the Bucks and I don't think anyone expects him to perform that well but if he can be a solid starter that would be great.

It's unrealistic to expect a huge improvement in 1 offseason. Of course everyone wants to see the team improve but it's not realistic to set the expectations for next year as making the playoffs. That is setting yourself up for disappointment.

Psychology does play a part in sports but it doesn't with being a fan. Fans can be miserable even if the team is doing well, we saw plenty of that during the D'Antoni years because a lot of people just waited for the inevitable playoff collapse. How fans felt didn't change how the team performed though. You mention that psychology plays a role but fail to recognize that Knight is saying all of the right things right now. Maybe his attitude can help the Suns and help him become a positive influence. It's odd that you'd try to bring up psychology playing a part in sports after mentioning fans expectations rather than your comments on Knight's comments because there is a correlation there but not with how fans feel.

Agreed, but Knight is on the books for the next two season and not 3. He still likely won't be trade-able for another year though.

 

[elindholm]

Again, I don't think that the problem with Knight is "psychology." The problem is that he sucks. He is a poor shooter with atrocious shot selection, the prototypical "combo guard" who lacks the skills to play either guard position effectively.

This business about him once being an "All-Star snub" is fake news. People talk about All-Star snubs because it's a way to get attention, but then you ask them "Who should have been left off the team instead" and they never have an answer. So it's not a snub. Knight had one good half season where his strengths gave the illusion of offsetting his flaws, and that got him into the fringes of the All-Star conversation. He wasn't snubbed.

Those hoping to get something positive out of Knight next season aren't asking him to become the player he once was, but instead fantasizing that he'll be able to re-invent himself, for the better, from scratch. When has a player coming off of a major injury, at this point in his career, ever done that?

 

[sunsfan88]

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[Hoop Head]

Knight is only 26 years old and won't be 27 until December. Compare that to when NBA players typically peak. He hasn't hit his prime yet and hoping for him to contribute something positive at this stage isn't asking that much considering the player he used to be. No one thinks he'll be an All-Star level player on the Suns but if he's a guard that can give us 25 good minutes that would be a huge plus. Those "good" minutes don't have to be scoring like Jamal Crawford or dishing a lot assists either, just don't give up more than gives.

As stated, he's not getting traded with his recent injury and his contract so hoping he isn't a total burden isn't asking a lot, IMO. It's either get something from him or use the stretch provision to waive him. I think they should give him a look before making that choice. If he's cut and works out somewhere else I don't think a lot of Suns fans would ever let McD or Sarver live that down.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Again, I don't think that the problem with Knight is "psychology." The problem is that he sucks. He is a poor shooter with atrocious shot selection, the prototypical "combo guard" who lacks the skills to play either guard position effectively.

This business about him once being an "All-Star snub" is fake news. People talk about All-Star snubs because it's a way to get attention, but then you ask them "Who should have been left off the team instead" and they never have an answer. So it's not a snub. Knight had one good half season where his strengths gave the illusion of offsetting his flaws, and that got him into the fringes of the All-Star conversation. He wasn't snubbed.

Those hoping to get something positive out of Knight next season aren't asking him to become the player he once was, but instead fantasizing that he'll be able to re-invent himself, for the better, from scratch. When has a player coming off of a major injury, at this point in his career, ever done that?

All of this doesn't change the fact that he is going to be on the roster next season and is currently one of the better players on the team. He is going to play a role for the team next season. Preferably it is coming off the bench, but as of now he will be penciled in as the starter next season. I also wouldn't call him a poor shooter, poor shot selection yes, but he is a more than capable shooter.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Of course everyone wants to see the team improve but it's not realistic to set the expectations for next year as making the playoffs. That is setting yourself up for disappointment.

I see another year of learning and when Chandler and Dudley go off the books things will change. We can only hope that Brandon can help in that learning. I hope a new coach will light a fire under someones shoes.

 

[elindholm]

and is currently one of the better players on the team.

That's debatable.

As a member of the Suns, he has shot .334 from three and only .404 overall. (About a third of his shots have been threes.) He has averaged a mere 3.8 assists per game (granted, his minutes were cut in 16-17) and has an assist/turnover ratio of only 1.5. And it's not like he makes up for it with good defense. He's a ball-stopping chucker who torpedos his team's offensive efficiency.

but as of now he will be penciled in as the starter next season.

I think that's very unlikely. He hasn't even been able to demonstrate where he is physically yet.