Brandon Knight

[Bozzy]

Which teams will be the best fit for this up'n'comming guard? And how much will he earn?

I think he's really talented, and for the right team he got at great future.

[Revived]

I can't see the Suns letting him walk after giving up a potential top 10 maybe top 5 2016 first rd pick for him along with their mid 1st rounder from the 2014 draft.

I hope he works on improving his shot selection and gets better at finishing at the rim (iirc he was statistically one of the worst at finishing at the rim last season).

He's already a very good shooter and a capable defender so if he can improve those things, he could take his game to another level.

I do hope that we won't give him the max just to save face though. Even with the cap rising, he's not a max player right now.

[bwgood77]

I'm not sure who would want to go after him. Perhaps the Knicks as he would actually probably be a pretty decent triangle PG because he can shoot and can also play off ball and they want vets. They are a team that probably wouldn't mind overpaying either since they have cap space and are desperate to compete.

However, I don't know if they'd want to tie up cap space waiting for us to match either. Other than them, I don't see who wouldl want them. The Lakers seem to have a pretty good young PG themselves, and most other teams don't need one, unless Denver dealt Lawson and needed one...but they might just build through the draft too.

[RaisingArizona]

He stays here for around 11 mill per year.

[Saberestar]

I think he will sign with us , $70M / 5 years, exactly like Bledsoe's contract.
It would be a win-win contract, because he can sign a shorter contract and then go like FA in 2017 with the cap goes rezlly high and sign a better one for sure. We overpay a little bit, but we need him like a player o like an asset.

[Saberestar]

He stays here for around 11 mill per year.

That would be great, hopefully he signs for something like that.

[SlovenianDragon]

We wont let Knight go after what we traded away to get him. He is only 23! And a very smart person/player.

He is a good fit next to Bledsoe since he can knock down the 3 ball.

And the suns were heavily involved with his surgery and recovery.

Unlike Bledsoe's non-committal approach to free agency after last season ended, Knight expressed a desire to return to Phoenix on Wednesday when the Suns met as a team and had individual exit interviews with team brass.

"If it can be quick and easy, that's the best thing," Knight said. "You don't want to go through a fight or anything like that or you don't want to drag it out as well. Definitely don't want anything that leads up to training camp. For me, it's just about doing what's best for me and my family and the Suns will do the same. I'm optimistic about the situation. I like it here. I like the way I've been treated so far. Top-class organization. I'm looking forward to a future with the Suns."

"I enjoy my time here," Knight said. "I look forward to being here in the future and we'll see what happens this summer but I'm optimistic about returning next summer."

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /25840081/

I think Knight likes it here and will be coming back. without a doubt.

Im not saying this because he said "the right things"....I say this because the suns DID the right things and he respects them for that.

[SlovenianDragon]

Didn't we give Knight the option if he was ready it was up to him to play? Instead of just after the doctors cleared him to play?

I forget. But Im pretty sure that's what we did.

[Mr Puddles]

I'm not sure who would want to go after him. Perhaps the Knicks as he would actually probably be a pretty decent triangle PG because he can shoot and can also play off ball and they want vets. They are a team that probably wouldn't mind overpaying either since they have cap space and are desperate to compete.

However, I don't know if they'd want to tie up cap space waiting for us to match either. Other than them, I don't see who wouldl want them. The Lakers seem to have a pretty good young PG themselves, and most other teams don't need one, unless Denver dealt Lawson and needed one...but they might just build through the draft too.

I agree, the only teams that are potentially looking for a PG are:

Knicks: best player at #4 will likely be a PG, so unless they trade that pick, committing to Knight makes little sense.

Kings: Already have a capable PG, will more likely be looking for an update at the C. Also, they are rumored to be front runners for Lawson.

Lakers: Will probably put their faith in Clarkson and spend cap space elsewhere

Houston: Could be a potential suitor with Beverley becoming a free agent - might not have enough capspace if they want to retain Josh Smith, Jason Terry and Corey Brewer.

Dallas: Rondo doesn't look like a keeper for them and Brandon Knight would be a good fit. Dallas is not a team that can afford not to make a move this free agency so waisting time by signing Brandon Knight and waiting for the Suns to match seems unlikely to me. I see Dallas going after DeAndre Jordan/Omer Asik/ or Kosta Koufos rather than Knight.

Utah: Utah might be the most logical destination. They've got plenty of size and could use both a PG as well as outside shooting. Knight addresses both those needs.

I have zero doubt the Suns will match any offer for B.Knight, McD committed to him the moment he put arguably our biggest trade chip on the table to acquire him. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a popular believe amongst GMs though, so other teams will likely be apathetic to sign him.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Yeah.

Politics.

[Revived]

If Knight gets offered a Bledsoe type contract or even max type contract from another team, do Suns match or let him walk with egg on their face?

[bwgood77]

If Knight gets offered a Bledsoe type contract or even max type contract from another team, do Suns match or let him walk with egg on their face?

Without a doubt match. There is more money in this league, especially beginning next summer, that you have to keep talent, even if you are overpaying them. Everyone is going to seem overpaid in the future. Cap space will be easier to create. The whole reason they traded for him is so they could match offers and hold all the cards. I don't really think anyone else will offer him that much though. The odd thing is that Milwaukee obviously didn't want to keep him and wouldn't have matched his deal, so we probably could have offered him a deal that the Bucks wouldn't have matched if they were unable to trade him elsewhere, provided we had the available cap space.

[Revived]

If Knight gets offered a Bledsoe type contract or even max type contract from another team, do Suns match or let him walk with egg on their face?

Without a doubt match. There is more money in this league, especially beginning next summer, that you have to keep talent, even if you are overpaying them. Everyone is going to seem overpaid in the future. Cap space will be easier to create. The whole reason they traded for him is so they could match offers and hold all the cards. I don't really think anyone else will offer him that much though. The odd thing is that Milwaukee obviously didn't want to keep him and wouldn't have matched his deal, so we probably could have offered him a deal that the Bucks wouldn't have matched if they were unable to trade him elsewhere, provided we had the available cap space.

That's why I hated the trade so much. You shouldn't up such an asset like a top 10 pick and a mid 1st rd pick in Ennis for an impending RFA unless he's a top 10-top 20 player.

[bwgood77]

If Knight gets offered a Bledsoe type contract or even max type contract from another team, do Suns match or let him walk with egg on their face?

Without a doubt match. There is more money in this league, especially beginning next summer, that you have to keep talent, even if you are overpaying them. Everyone is going to seem overpaid in the future. Cap space will be easier to create. The whole reason they traded for him is so they could match offers and hold all the cards. I don't really think anyone else will offer him that much though. The odd thing is that Milwaukee obviously didn't want to keep him and wouldn't have matched his deal, so we probably could have offered him a deal that the Bucks wouldn't have matched if they were unable to trade him elsewhere, provided we had the available cap space.

That's why I hated the trade so much. You shouldn't up such an asset like a top 10 pick and a mid 1st rd pick in Ennis for an impending RFA unless he's a top 10-top 20 player.

Well, I think, in general, it is a good practice to match to keep an asset if the person is talented (unless you are a premier FA destination). McD must have figured they would match, or he must have known there were other suitors or I can't imagine he would have done the deal. Either that or it's just another thing McD will have to learn. That pick may not end up amounting to much. I don't think they will be very good next year. A lot of people will dream that an Okafor/Randle frontcourt with Kobe, their decent pg (never can remember his name) and other role plaeyrs will make them better. But the 5th or 6th pick may not be all that great next year since it is a bad draft.

Not saying I would have done it, but McD may also want to move on from Bledsoe (though I think he likes having two starting caliber pgs, especially if he can't have a premier one). I still hope they plan to always have one on the floor and play fewer than 20 minutes together to maximize bench units and allow them each to be primary ball handler at times, giving us a starting caliber pg on the floor at all times.

[SideSwipe]

$12-$14 mil per season similar to Bled, though I am secretly hoping he will take the QO from us, so we can grab another decent FA or two. I think that would give us $19 mil to play with under the cap in addition to having Bled and Knight. That's a full max for a premier FA, or two decent lower FA's plus re-upping several of our current players.

**Side Note** I think there is a good chance we may actually use the TE from the Dragic trade this year, instead of wasting them like in years past.

[Qwigglez]

$12-$14 mil per season similar to Bled, though I am secretly hoping he will take the QO from us, so we can grab another decent FA or two. I think that would give us $19 mil to play with under the cap in addition to having Bled and Knight. That's a full max for a premier FA, or two decent lower FA's plus re-upping several of our current players.

**Side Note** I think there is a good chance we may actually use the TE from the Dragic trade this year, instead of wasting them like in years past.

didn't even realize we got a TPE from the Dragic trade. When does that expire?

[SideSwipe]

$12-$14 mil per season similar to Bled, though I am secretly hoping he will take the QO from us, so we can grab another decent FA or two. I think that would give us $19 mil to play with under the cap in addition to having Bled and Knight. That's a full max for a premier FA, or two decent lower FA's plus re-upping several of our current players.

**Side Note** I think there is a good chance we may actually use the TE from the Dragic trade this year, instead of wasting them like in years past.

didn't even realize we got a TPE from the Dragic trade. When does that expire?

According to ESPN Trade Machine we have one for $5.5 million. Don't know expiration for sure, but I think it's one year from the trade, so I think we have it until next years trade deadline roughly.

[RunDogGun]

$12-$14 mil per season similar to Bled, though I am secretly hoping he will take the QO from us, so we can grab another decent FA or two. I think that would give us $19 mil to play with under the cap in addition to having Bled and Knight. That's a full max for a premier FA, or two decent lower FA's plus re-upping several of our current players.

**Side Note** I think there is a good chance we may actually use the TE from the Dragic trade this year, instead of wasting them like in years past.

didn't even realize we got a TPE from the Dragic trade. When does that expire?

According to ESPN Trade Machine we have one for $5.5 million. Don't know expiration for sure, but I think it's one year from the trade, so I think we have it until next years trade deadline roughly.

We could take on a middle contract if it yields us a pick. The only problem with that is if it was a pick for this draft, which would mean we don't think we can nab a bigger FA. For if we take on a $5.5 million contract, we will have much less to offer.

[SideSwipe]

I think we would want to load up to the max on FA's, then use it to allow us to go over the cap. Net impact would be minimal because the cap will be going up so much in the future anyway. I think you will see teams in this two year period try to find ways to maximize going over the cap since the impact won't be dramatic.

[rottenbanana36]

I think we are going to see a team that is largely similar to last years.

Goodwin - Don't get the feeling they want to trade him (although if Hornecak is gone....Seemed like his pet project)
Morris twins - hard to trade given the impending legal situation.
Brandon Knight - Resigns for between $12-14M/yr

Going into 2017 offseason you'd have:

Bledsoe - 14.5M
Knight - 14M (Roughly)
Len - 6.4M
Kieff - 8M
Marcus - 5M
Warren - 3M
Bullock - 3M
Goodwin - 3M
Bodgovich - 2M

58.9M with a 90M Cap gives you a lot of room to maneuver and if you wanted to make more room you could not renew bullock and goodwin and get an extra 6M. I think if Knight put on some upper body strength (train with Bledsoe in the offseason) we could see his finishing percentage go up. He's pretty skinny right now at 6-3 188lb vs. Bledsoe 6-1 195lb. It would make him a better defender vs SG's as well.