Brandon Knight (Photo : Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns could trade one of their point guards, and it seems Brandon Knight could be the likely trade candidate for the team.
The Suns are in no rush to clear their backcourt logjam, but Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders still believes a trade would go down at some point this season. According to Kyler, there is a "growing belief" that Brandon Knight is the likely trade candidate for the Suns as the 24-year-old would draw bigger trade return for Phoenix.
"League sources for some time have pegged Eric Bledsoe as the most likely to be moved from a Suns point of view, but there is a growing belief that Brandon Knight would return more value in a trade (mainly because of Bledsoe's injury history)," Kyler wrote.
"It seems more likely than not that the Suns pull the trigger on a trade at some point, especially if Devin Booker continues his upward climb, but sources close to the situation say there isn't a lot of urgency yet to solve the logjam."
Despite only playing 52 games last season, Knight posted a career-best 19.6 points per game last season, to go along with 5.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds. Bledsoe's absence has given Knight the opportunity to establish himself as a key player to the Suns, but with Bledsoe returning form injury and Booker expected for a breakout season, Knight could play limited minutes off the bench.
If the Suns would want a greater value in return, they could trade Knight to teams desperate for talented playmaker. The Philadelphia 76ers seem in need of another point guard following Ben Simmons' injury. Trading Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor could be an intriguing scenario, but doing so would only give the Suns a crowded frontcourt.
The Sacramento Kings could also be a potential trade partner for the Suns. The Kings are in need of a starting point guard whom they can pair with DeMarcus Cousins, and it happens they have tradable assets at their disposal. Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore have been rumored to be on the trading block, although it is unclear whether the Suns would consider any of the two trade candidates.
Trading Knight to the San Antonio Spurs could also be an option for the Suns. The Spurs still have a talented roster, but their point guard situation could get tricky if Tony Parker starts to show signs of decline in his game. Beside Parker, the only reliable backup PG is Patty Mills, but adding Knight gives San Antonio an insurance at the point guard spot.
It remains to be seen whether the Suns would truly consider moving Knight this season, but trading him could be a strong possibility if Phoenix's backcourt duo of Bledsoe and Booker yield them good results. Nevertheless, trading for Knight would surely be pricey for other teams as he is still owed $58 million for the next four seasons.
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