Brandon Knight should remain a Sun at least for now

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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 9: Head Coach Earl Watson of the Phoenix Suns coaches his team during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 9, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

What I would say to Knight now

There is a good possibility that in Knight’s exit interview he was told that the franchise will do whatever they can to move him.

Undoubtedly though, he was made no promises.

If I were Robert Sarver, Ryan McDonough, and/or Earl Watson, I would – as maturely as possible – remind him that he is an adult, a man, and a professional. While he may want out, and certainly the franchise may not see him as a good fit anymore either, as a pro ball-player who agreed to a very sizable contract, he has a responsibility to perform, and be the best player he can possibly be, for the duration of his career in Phoenix.

It must be further explained that they have no intention of screwing him by burying him on the bench and pretending that he is not there. He should be guaranteed a fair shot at a good spot in the rotation, and should he play to the best of his abilities and provide the expected playing time and statistics – especially of someone making as much as he is – then they will do whatever they can to best find him a good spot elsewhere in the league, down the line.

As professionals in any walk of life, we must all accept certain deficiencies in how we want our career to work out. We all want our jobs, our bosses, and our co-workers to meet a certain personal standard.

Knight thus cannot be faulted for having once believed that the franchise would meet certain personal expectations, which have no longer been met, be it positional, rotational, or even just playing time in general.

But he must still maturely abide by the contract that he signed in good faith, and honor it to it’s fullest.

At this moment there is no doubt that the two sides are split by a chasm of some size. But they must still bridge the gap until an honorable, and fair solution, can be found.

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