2. Brandon Knight Getting Healthy
After missing eight games due to a sprained ankle, Brandon Knight returned last night against the Thunder. He played 22 minutes, shot 1-for-10 from the field…and once again tweaked his ankle. According to Craig Grialou of Arizona Sports, his status for tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers is up in the air.
No noticeable limp as Knight (ankle) walked out of locker room but Hornacek said "I would guess he wouldn't play" vs. GS #SunsVsThunder
— Craig Grialou (@CraigAZSports) March 30, 2015
This is not good news for the Suns, even if the playoff hunt is basically over. Getting Knight back on the floor was never 100 percent about him helping Phoenix reach the postseason. Rather, it was about watching him try to build some chemistry with Eric Bledsoe in the backcourt before the offseason hits.
As a restricted free agent this summer, Knight is heading toward his pay day. The Suns can match any offer another team makes for their newly acquired 23-year-old, and they probably will match any offer for him after trading away that precious protected pick from the Los Angeles Lakers.
But seeing how he and Bledsoe look together in the backcourt would give the front office a better idea what they should be paying for Knight this summer. It’d also make feel everyone feel a lot better about the team’s long-term future.
That being said, rushing Knight back would run the risk of re-aggravating his injury, which makes no sense for a team heading for the lottery. If the Suns are this committed to Knight and confident in his future here, fans may just have to trust that re-signing him to a major deal is the right move — especially since his time here so far has been too small a sample size to know for sure.
Next: No. 1