Brandon Knight Torn ACL - Entire 2017-2018 Season in Jeopardy

[Danimal]

Reed is going to be great with the second unit.

Does anyone think they might sign give djj some spot minutes at SG behind reed now? I cant remember how much we played him there last year

[O_Gardino]

As the roster stands now, DJJ will be buried pretty deep this year behind Jackson/Warren and Booker /Reed. Book is going to play a ton of minutes, and Reed showed in summer league that he is a legit player. He'll get the 12 or 14 minutes behind Booker. DJJ only plays if there is an injury or a trade.

[Cap]

Wasn't Monta Ellis suspended when he got injured riding a motorcycle (or something)? Could something like this happen to Knight? What are the rules for this really, is it only a problem if if the "dangerous" activity is not basketball related?

I think it depends on individuals contracts. There were a numbers of players who owned motorbikes they weren't allowed to ride due to clauses in their contract.
If its basketball related i doubt anything might happen. Just struggling to remember the last time someone had an offseason injury this serious

I guess Reed gets thrown right into the mix in the 2nd unit now.

I think you're thinking of Jay Williams, whose contract was voided after he injured himself riding a motorcycle.

The list of prohibited activities is in the uniform player contract. I'm pretty sure pro am tourneys are permitted (maybe with permission), since players do it all the time, and we haven't heard anything from the Suns or punditry about the Suns possibly using this to get out of the contract.

[In2ition]

Wasn't Monta Ellis suspended when he got injured riding a motorcycle (or something)? Could something like this happen to Knight? What are the rules for this really, is it only a problem if if the "dangerous" activity is not basketball related?

I think it depends on individuals contracts. There were a numbers of players who owned motorbikes they weren't allowed to ride due to clauses in their contract.
If its basketball related i doubt anything might happen. Just struggling to remember the last time someone had an offseason injury this serious

I guess Reed gets thrown right into the mix in the 2nd unit now.

I think you're thinking of Jay Williams, whose contract was voided after he injured himself riding a motorcycle.

The list of prohibited activities is in the uniform player contract. I'm pretty sure pro am tourneys are permitted (maybe with permission), since players do it all the time, and we haven't heard anything from the Suns or punditry about the Suns possibly using this to get out of the contract.

I heard yesterday that they all have a "love of the game" clause in the contracts that allows them to play in the offseason.

[iLLmatic]

^That's what Gambo and Burns were saying on the radio yesterday. They also said the Suns will probably keep Knight for this year and then use the stretch provision on him next year.

[Superbone]

http://arizonasports.com/story/1187440/ ... mcdonough/

Suns GM: Brandon Knight’s injury ‘could’ve happened to anybody’

UPDATED: JULY 26, 2017 AT 3:18 PM

Phoenix Suns' Brandon Knight, center, passes between Golden State Warriors' Shaun Livingston, left, and David West (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

PHOENIX — Brandon Knight’s torn ACL suffered last Wednesday in a Florida pro-am game likely ends his 2017-18 season before it begins.

In the immediate future, the focus is on getting the swelling in Knight’s knee down before he undergoes surgery, said Phoenix general manager Ryan McDonough, who addressed the guard’s injury on Wednesday.

“My understanding of it: he jumped and landed a bit off,” McDonough said, adding Knight’s knee “inverted.”

“It’s unfortunate. He did it playing ball — it could’ve happened to anybody.”

Surgery is likely later this week or earlier next week, and McDonough said the team and Knight had yet to discuss whether he will spend his rehab process in Arizona, Florida or between both places.

Good info:

Having spent most of this offseason in South Florida, where he is from, Knight’s injury will likely not give the Suns any more money to spend on players. McDonough said the team can choose to operate as an under-the-cap or over-the-cap team and will likely opt for the former, which will make the team non-eligible for the Disabled Player Exception it could receive if it chose the latter.

The team can claim insurance re-imbursement if Knight doesn’t play for half the season, McDonough added.

Knight’s injury pushes a resolution to his uncertain future with the Suns into next summer.

The more immediate question is whether Phoenix will find it necessary to make a reactionary move to fill Knight’s role. McDonough is still awaiting word on where center Alex Len’s free agency goes, but the Suns’ roster is nearly full.

They have three bodies at point guard with Bledsoe, Tyler Ulis and Mike James on the roster. At shooting guard where Knight may have earned the most minutes were he healthy, Booker could be backed up by rookie and second-round pick Davon Reed, while wings Derrick Jones Jr. and Josh Jackson could slide over from small forward.

“I feel like we have pretty good guard depth,” McDonough said. “We certainly don’t feel any pressure to rush out and sign another guard — have gotten calls from about 500 agents since the (Knight injury) news broke yesterday.

“We’re getting close to the roster limit and if we do have a need positionally, it’s probably in the frontcourt opposed to the backcourt.”

[In2ition]

I was hoping that the Suns would be able to move some contracts this summer for expiring deals to be buyers in the FA market next off-season, but from what Gambo was saying, they are looking to be buyers in 2019 when Dudley, Chandler and Bledsoe deals expire. I am assuming now that perhaps the Suns keep Knight around until then and add a pick for someone to take Knight's contract to free up more money. Otherwise, they may just stretch out the last year of the contract to create more space or just buy that last year up.

If the Suns somehow deal for Kyrie and Warren is involved, that would eliminate having to give him a big pay increase this next year or even prior to the season if they are so inclined. Therefore it would seem that their cap space would be pretty significant in 2019. Although, I don't know of any significant FAs to be available at this time.

[carey]

2019? That probably means they want to sign one or two before maxing Booker that Summer. Bledsoe will be a free agent as well.

[Wormwood]

Addition by subtraction... We're a much better team on the court without him.

Next summer, when he only has two years left on his contract, maybe we can dump him a little more easily.

[ShelC]

Doubt it, I think you're looking at the stretch provision.

[In2ition]

Doubt it, I think you're looking at the stretch provision.

Agreed, but probably doesn't happen until his last year, imo.

[Mori Chu]

Brandon Knight leaving the Suns? That's a stretch.


...

...

eh?

[In2ition]

Brandon Knight leaving the Suns? That's a stretch.


...

...

eh?

7/10

[Split T]

I was hoping that the Suns would be able to move some contracts this summer for expiring deals to be buyers in the FA market next off-season, but from what Gambo was saying, they are looking to be buyers in 2019 when Dudley, Chandler and Bledsoe deals expire. I am assuming now that perhaps the Suns keep Knight around until then and add a pick for someone to take Knight's contract to free up more money. Otherwise, they may just stretch out the last year of the contract to create more space or just buy that last year up.

If the Suns somehow deal for Kyrie and Warren is involved, that would eliminate having to give him a big pay increase this next year or even prior to the season if they are so inclined. Therefore it would seem that their cap space would be pretty significant in 2019. Although, I don't know of any significant FAs to be available at this time.

I looked at all the free agents and possible free agents in 2018 and 2019. Here would be my initial list of guys that are available and we might go after

2018:
DeMarcus Cousins
Lebron James
Paul George
Will Barton
Derrick Favors
Robert Covington
Montrezl Harrell
Josh Richardson
Norman Powell
Pat McCaw
Dante Exum(R)
Julius Randle(R)
TJ Warren

2019:
Klay Thompson
Kyrie Irving
Kawhi Leonard
Jimmy Butler
Kemba Walker
Khris Middleton
Eric Bledsoe
Malcolm Brogdon
Pat Beverley
Devin Booker(R)
Mario Hezonja(R)
Emmanuel Mudiay(R)
Nikola Jokic - Unique situation, he has a team option at like 1.5 million for 2018 that Denver probably turns down to make him a restricted FA in 2018. If Denver picks up the option, he's unrestricted in 2019.

[Split T]

Depending on what happens this summer with Bled/Kyrie I think we'll make a play for Lebron/PG-13/Cousins next year, with Cousins being the only realistic option and probably only if Bledsoe stays. 2019 looks more appealing as I think we'd happily max Klay, Kawhi, Kyrie, or Butler. Horford, Barnes, Love, and Gasol could all be free agents in 2019 as well but they all have player options for 25+ million that I doubt they turn down.

[Cap]

What does the injury mean for JJ's prospects of wearing #11?

[O_Gardino]

What does the injury mean for JJ's prospects of wearing #11?

Now you're asking the real questions.

[Mori Chu]

Depending on what happens this summer with Bled/Kyrie I think we'll make a play for Lebron/PG-13/Cousins next year

There is absolutely no way that will happen.

[Split T]

Depending on what happens this summer with Bled/Kyrie I think we'll make a play for Lebron/PG-13/Cousins next year

There is absolutely no way that will happen.

You don't think we'll try to sign one of those guys? Chances of LeBron or George signing are almost zero, but Cousins is a possibility. I think he probably stays in New Orleans, but he is good friends with Bledsoe.

[O_Gardino]

Depending on what happens this summer with Bled/Kyrie I think we'll make a play for Lebron/PG-13/Cousins next year

There is absolutely no way that will happen.

You don't think we'll try to sign one of those guys? Chances of LeBron or George signing are almost zero, but Cousins is a possibility. I think he probably stays in New Orleans, but he is good friends with Bledsoe.

I don't pretend to know anything about what goes on off court in the NBA, but this is weird to me. We always hear about what a great guy Bled is and he's a character guy and a leader, but then he's friends with all these NBA villains like Cousins and LBJ.