Knight Suffers ACL Tear

Chris_Sanders

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He has a "love of the game" clause in his contract, which allows him to play in some games outside of the season without risk of losing money due to injury.

Of course he does...
 

Mainstreet

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I did not think Knight was going to play for the Suns this season but I liked the glimmer of hope that some team might take him off the Suns hands... at least for a different bad contract.

However, one has to wonder if a medical retirement might be an option down the road. Knight was having medical issues last season.
 

Raindog

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Hmm, you have to wonder if his NBA career is done for good at this point. It wasn't like it was on an upward trajectory as it was, and now this. Of course, he can come back next season after rehabbing, but now has a "bad knee" label to go with the "undersized 2/no PG skills 1" and "bad contract" labels.

I suspect the Suns will end up waiving him before he ever suits up for them again, and the next time he actually plays pro ball, it will likely be overseas somewhere.
 

Mainstreet

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Hmm, you have to wonder if his NBA career is done for good at this point. It wasn't like it was on an upward trajectory as it was, and now this. Of course, he can come back next season after rehabbing, but now has a "bad knee" label to go with the "undersized 2/no PG skills 1" and "bad contract" labels.

I suspect the Suns will end up waiving him before he ever suits up for them again, and the next time he actually plays pro ball, it will likely be overseas somewhere.

I think your assessment is very close to being correct.
 

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Sucks for BK but isn't the worst thing for the Suns. Now there won't be any longjam issues and he'll be easier to "stretch" next season.
 

Krangodnzr

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I feel bad for BRANDON Knight, you know, the human being who has worked at being a basketball player as his profession.

Luckily he is being paid handsomely.
 

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I wonder if this injury would play any role in moves the Suns were considering. Obviously Bledsoe's name has been in the rumor mill as the most likely player we'd trade but without Knight here next year we'd be thin at PG. Ulis should make for a quality backup PG but I'm not sure if the Suns want to thrust him into the starting spot without a legit backup and no quality options at PG left in free agency.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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You guys are leaning towards his career is over? He's still relatively young. It's an ACL. Athletes come back from that routinely now. He'll play in the NBA again someday.
 

Hoop Head

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Knight is only 25, turning 26 in December. He's had some minor injuries while here already but this is entirely separate from that. I believe he had groin injuries in his first year here and I'm not sure what sort of injuries he suffered his second season. There's no reason to think he won't come back from this injury though, it's not micro-fracture and it's the first time he's had ACL issues, he's not Derrick Rose. It's more a matter of when rather than if he can come back from it. He'll be 26 when he's healthy again next offseason. He may not have trade value but that's because of how he played last season, he didn't have trade value anyways. He'll have 1 less year on his deal and there will be another class of free agents signing higher contracts because of the cap increase so 2 years of Knight for $30 million won't seem as bad next summer, in a trade or if we waive him.

I think we're in a position like Detroit was a few years ago when they signed Josh Smith to play alongside Monroe and Drummond. He didn't fit, everyone around the league knew it was a bad fit but no one wanted to take on his contract on the off chance he was done rather than in a bad position. Detroit wasn't giving up assets to move him either so they bought him out but Smith ended up in Houston and was able to contribute right away as a PF. I can see the same thing happening with Knight once he gets healthy.

If he was 29 or 30 right now then I could understand the predictions he'll end up overseas but he's too young for that. Right now he's only 1 year removed from being a 20 ppg player. Most basketball people know a large part of why his efficiency dropped off this year is because of how he was used. He's been a starter his whole career and even talked like he'd be starting up until opening day this last season, he never bought into being a 6th man and Watson can be blamed for that. It was his job to sell him on his role and also define what his role would be off the bench but it didn't seem that was clear either because he'd get yanked early quite a bit whether he played aggressively or passively.
 

JS22

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It's amazing how sharp Knight's fall was. He went from being a near all-star with promise to one of the worst contracts and trades in Suns (NBA?) history.
 

overseascardfan

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Luckily, we are under the cap, he doesn't hurt the bottom line, and he'll be off the bench and out of the locker room. We also don't have to give up a draft pick just to unload him. Silver lining.
Exactly, even with his contract we still have the 3rd most cap space available. Just gives Reed more of an opportunity. We couldn't find takers for a healthy Brandon Knight anyway so no big deal.
 

Mainstreet

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You guys are leaning towards his career is over? He's still relatively young. It's an ACL. Athletes come back from that routinely now. He'll play in the NBA again someday.

I guess I question Knight's motivation to come back from injury.
 

devilalum

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I feel really bad for the kid. I'd feel a lot worse if I didn't know he had $85 million coming his way.


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devilalum

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Bad Luck Brandon...

There goes any hope of moving him. At least he won't be a distraction now. Hopefully he can make a full and speedy recovery. He's got to be in a bad place right now.

I'm betting the place he's in right now is about 10,000 square feet with a pool and a view of the ocean.


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Mainstreet

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He's 25 and playing professional basketball and earning millions doing it. Was that question serious?

Knight does not exactly exude enthusiasm. I did not see him clamoring to play. He had a chance to play last season when he was called upon.
 

Bert

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He's 25 and playing professional basketball and earning millions doing it. Was that question serious?

Actually he's earning millions for sitting on the bench while feigning injuries and refusing to play. His number was called last season but he refused to play cuz his feelings were hurt. Yeah, the guy obviously has a real passion for the game. #massiveyeroll


But if you want to crown the guy with sainthood, go for it. I will shed not a tear for Brandon Knight aka the worst FA move ever by the Suns.
 

SirStefan32

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Actually he's earning millions for sitting on the bench while feigning injuries and refusing to play. His number was called last season but he refused to play cuz his feelings were hurt. Yeah, the guy obviously has a real passion for the game. #massiveyeroll


But if you want to crown the guy with sainthood, go for it. I will shed not a tear for Brandon Knight aka the worst FA move ever by the Suns.

I don't think anyone is arguing he is a saint. I would simply suggest that he may not be the devil. He was benched. He did not complain to the media, online, etc.
 

Phrazbit

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It was a bad trade, but it wasn't even the worst in OUR history.

Dennis Johnson for Ricky Robey? A draft pick where we could have had Lue Deng or Iguodala, given away for what turning into nothing? Kurt Thomas and TWO 1st round picks for... nothing?

It would have been nice to have the Laker pick as a trade chip but the end game for that pick is starting to look less and less enticing. It will probably end up in the late lotto.

And his contract sucks but it isn't handicapping us in anyway at all.
 

devilalum

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It was a bad trade, but it wasn't even the worst in OUR history.

Dennis Johnson for Ricky Robey? A draft pick where we could have had Lue Deng or Iguodala, given away for what turning into nothing? Kurt Thomas and TWO 1st round picks for... nothing?

It would have been nice to have the Laker pick as a trade chip but the end game for that pick is starting to look less and less enticing. It will probably end up in the late lotto.

And his contract sucks but it isn't handicapping us in anyway at all.

True but they didn't compound the Robey trade by giving him a huge extension.


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