Brandon Knight helping young guys in Suns Summer League workouts

PHOENIX – Among the number of young 20-year-olds working out on the practice court inside Talking Stick Resort Arena this week is a player who turns 27 later this year.

He doesn’t have to be there. His spot on the Phoenix Suns’ 2018-19 roster is secure. In fact, he’s the projected starting point guard.

But Brandon Knight wants to be there. He wants to be part of what general manager Ryan McDonough is constructing and what first-year head coach Igor Kokoskov is teaching.

“We are thrilled that B-Knight showed up. We didn’t know. I mean, that was really his decision to come here and be part of this group,” Kokoskov said.

That Knight chose to participate in the Suns’ four-day mini-camp before their Summer League opener in Las Vegas on Friday is a positive sign for a couple of reasons.

For starters, he’s healthy. This week marked his first fullcourt, full-contact, 5-on-5 action since suffering a torn ACL in his left knee last July, an injury that costed him the entire 2017-18 season.

“It’s just good to be back out there with the guys,” Knight said Wednesday. “Having not played in over a year, it feels good to just relearn those movements and get back out there to basketball-activity. Like I said, it’s exciting.”

The Suns have called Knight a “wild card” when looking ahead to next season.

It wasn’t that long ago that Knight was playing at an All-Star level only to have his career stalled by injuries. Should he return to that quality of play, the Suns could be vastly improved next season with a starting lineup of Knight, Devin Booker, T.J. Warren/Josh Jackson, Trevor Ariza and Deandre Ayton.

Already Knight is excited about what could be, not just because of his health, but also because of “all the movement” within the Kokoskov-coached offense.

“Offensively, I’ve been in situations where the ball gets stagnant and it’s easy to guard stagnant offenses. But with Igor’s stuff it makes it somewhat impossible to be stagnant because there’s so much movement, so much misdirection and it’s difficult to guard,” he said. “I think it fits in well, not just for myself but for our entire team and it’s going to be difficult for teams to try to keep up with all that action.”

Besides health, Knight’s demeanor remains unchanged from the regular season. That smile that he wore all year, even while sidelined, is still there. Maybe even bigger now.

Having had basketball taken away from him, Knight has gained perspective and is appreciative of the opportunity that’s before him with the Suns, whether that be as a starter or bench player.

“Whatever I can bring to the team to help, that’s what I’m here for,” he said. “We got a very young team … so it’s just trying to help the young guys grow and be competitive. I don’t think we’re in (the gym) to try to just say, ‘let’s just get better.’ I think we’re in here to try to win. I think that’s Book’s mindset from talking to him over the summer.

“We want to win, so that’s why I’m here now. I’m trying to get myself going and get in the young guys’ ear, just so that this year we can hit the ground rolling and, like I said, be competitive. I know the West is getting stronger and stronger but we’re confident in ourself and that’s what it’s about.”

As the point guard, Knight must be one of the leaders on the floor. It’s also a role he’s shown off the floor.

Knight has taken fellow point guard, second-round draft pick Elie Okobo, under his wing.

“Very poised to be so young. Just knows the game, knows how to play. And (a) competitor,” Knight said of the Suns’ 31st overall pick.

Okobo isn’t the only player Knight has attempted to form a bond with this offseason. He organized workouts with several of his teammates in his hometown of Miami.

Booker, T.J. Warren and Davon Reed — plus Tyler Ulis and Alan Williams before the Suns released them — were among those players who accepted his invitation.

“We haven’t had a chance to get ‘Dre down there yet. They keeping a close watch on him,” Knight said, referring to Deandre Ayton, “but we had a good amount of guys down there.”

While basketball was the main draw, the get-together was also about building relationships “to the point to where when we get in the mud, in the trenches, we’re fighting together and that’s what it’s about,” Knight said.

Added Kokoskov, “That’s what leaders do, especially in the offseason.”

But it’s the regular season that Knight, who is about to enter his eighth year in the NBA, longs for.

“He wants to play right now,” Kokoskov said. “He brought us unbelievable energy and kind of positive energy for this group to understand that our starting point guard is at this camp. His presence here meant so much to these guys and myself and the staff, but also to him to get that little feel for the camp, for the game. I think it was beneficiary for both sides.”

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