ESPN.com: Suns may move either Bledsoe or Knight
Jun 23, 2016, 10:54 AM | Updated: 2:26 pm
The Phoenix Suns’ starting backcourt could look different when the new season tips off.
According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, the Suns may look to move either Eric Bledsoe, or Brandon Knight, and a lottery pick (fourth or 13th) to acquire a player who can help the Suns get back to the playoffs.
The growing sense in league circles is that the Suns are determined to move either Bledsoe or Brandon Knight before the start of next season
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 23, 2016
Bledsoe played in just 31 games last season, but averaged 20.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in his short stint on the court.
On the other hand, Knight averaged 19.6 points, 5.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, while only appearing in 52 games. He has missed at least 10 contests in each of the past three seasons and has shot 41.6 percent from the field in his career.
According to Stein, Phoenix already attempted to move Bledsoe prior to the draft, but the Utah Jazz did not bite on the bait.
Sources say Phoenix, in its failed trade pitch to convince Utah to surrender Gordon Hayward, tried to pair Eric Bledsoe with a lottery pick
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 23, 2016
Bledsoe, 26, is under contract through the 2018-19 season and will make $14 million this year, while Knight, 24, signed a five-year, $70 million deal last offseason.
The Suns may be looking to move one of their point guards due to the emergence of Devin Booker, who averaged 13.8 points per game as a rookie. In 51 starts he averaged 17.4 points per game, compared to just 6.5 points per game as a reserve.
In addition to the fourth and 13th overall picks, the Suns also own the 28th and 34th picks in Thursday’s draft, which begins at 4:00 p.m. MST and will be broadcast on ESPN.