Brandon Knight (Photo : Getty Images)
There is a chance the Phoenix Suns could deal Brandon Knight before the deadline, and among the potential scenario the team could explore is swapping the backup point guard for Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez.
Knight remains the likely trade candidate for the Suns after the 24-year-old point guard took a back seat, with Eric Bledsoe taking back his starting job in Phoenix. The logjam at the backcourt has also seen Knight struggling on the offensive end, averaging a career-low 12.5 points and 2.9 assists per game this season.
While Suns general manager Ryan McDonough insisted the team isn't actively trading Knight, he admitted there is a chance considering such move after at least two months of evaluation. Nevertheless, ESPN's Marc Stein believes that won't stop teams from inquiring about Knight's availability.
"Suns general manager Ryan McDonough recently went on the Burns & Gambo radio show in Phoenix and proclaimed (A) that he isn't actively trying to trade Knight and (B) that he'd prefer to take at least two months to evaluate his team before seriously considering trades," Stein wrote.
"None of that, however, has stopped interested rivals from believing that the struggling Knight -- who started two games this week with TJ Warren out but mostly comes off the bench for the Suns -- will be made available."
Knight has proven he can be more effective given more playing time on the court. Last season, he averaged career highs in points and minutes, averaging 19.6 points, while playing 36.0 minutes a game. Several teams could certainly make a run at Knight, and among the potential destinations for the Kentucky product is the Brooklyn Nets.
Matt Moore of CBS Sports explored a scenario of the Suns shipping Knight to Brooklyn. In Moore's proposed deal, the Suns would send Knight to the Nets for Brook Lopez, giving Phoenix enough "legit NBA talent" to make a serious push in the West.
"The Suns have some good young bigs, but Brook Lopez would instantly be arguably the team's best player. A package which gets the Nets some youth might help the Suns get enough legit NBA talent to make a push with their veterans, and they'd still have Booker and one of the young bigs," Moore wrote.
The Suns are already loaded at the frontcourt, but Lopez would give the team an All-Star caliber player who can do some damage on both ends of the floor.
On the other hand, Knight would provide the Nets a scoring option and at the backcourt, and could potentially play as a combo-guard alongside Jeremy Lin. Including the likes of Alex Len and Dragan Bender in a potential trade could also sweeten up the pot for the Nets, giving the team young pieces for their rebuild.
It is too early to assess whether the Suns are completely out of the playoff picture, but with the team at the bottom of the standings, it would be difficult for the Suns to contend this season. Trading Knight would give the team enough pieces to rebuild, although it remains to be seen whether the Suns would pull off the trigger before the February deadline.
Video courtesy: YouTube/DownToBuck
