The number of pieces in a puzzle start in the hundreds and top out in the tens of thousands. The Suns’ backcourt, at first glance, is a much less complicated affair, a two-piece project already half-solved with the long-term placement of Eric Bledsoe last summer.
Take a closer look, and you’ll find there are smaller pieces that make up the big ones. Bledsoe’s include elite-level defense, football-like drives toward the rim, and a quiet demeanor while at work.
Complementing those qualities became the Suns’ task. Finding the ideal second piece – one able to stand out individually but willing to fit in – could have taken any amount of time. Phoenix had one guy in mind for months. Then they traded for him. Now they’ve signed him long-term.
Brandon Knight would thrive anywhere on his own. He did so in Milwaukee, coming within a hair of making the Eastern Conference All-Star squad. His personal performance (17.8 ppg, 5.4 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1.6 spg) produced team results. The Bucks went from cellar-dwellar to playoff-caliber, the kind of leap Suns fans know well from a year ago.
Pairing Knight’s yin with Bledsoe’s yang makes his and Phoenix’s respective futures even more promising. Knight brings a different look in the pick-and-roll game, one that relies on a quick dribble and tightly threaded passes.
Bledsoe’s most efficient two-man offense occurred with big men. Per NBA.com, his passes to or from Markieff Morris and/or Brandan Wright resulted in the best shooting percentages. For Knight, his best production occurred in tandem with P.J. Tucker, T.J. Warren and Bledsoe. The odds of all five players on the floor being a threat increases with both of them sharing backcourt duties.
Knight is a natural three-point shooter. He hit better than 40 percent from beyond the arc before his trade to Phoenix, where an ankle injury and a brand-new team and scheme skewed his numbers. His natural shooting touch, combined with a full summer and training camp in Phoenix, should see him bounce back and then some. Between Bledsoe’s penetration and Phoenix’s elite pace (second in fast break points last season), Knight should get ample opportunity to do damage from distance.
Leadership comes in different wavelengths. Knight’s is vocal, something that was made apparent as soon as he arrived. Less than a week after being traded to Phoenix, the 6-3 guard was asking his teammates to talk more on defense. He also memorized plays quickly, even speaking up to point out mistakes in practice.
“He won’t tolerate guys who are out there playing the game just to play it,” Suns Head Coach Jeff Hornacek said late last season. “He wants to win.”
So do the Suns, who are eager to play more than 82 games a year. Knight thought he would with Milwaukee last season. Now his goal is to do so in purple-and-orange.
Given Phoenix’s already-talented guards are only 23 (Knight) and 25 (Bledsoe) years old, respectively, they should have plenty of chances.