It’s looking more likely that the Suns will trade away Brandon Knight before the deadline, Paola Boivin of The Arizona Republic writes. Knight has seen his playing time decreased because of injuries as well as his defensive mistakes. Boivin wonders if the combo guard’s frustration with his role is causing him to put forth lackluster effort on the defensive end.
Here’s more from Phoenix:
- The Suns should prioritize developing their young talent rather than focusing on winning games, Boivin argues in the same piece. The scribe believes coach Earl Watson should increase the minutes for the team’s prospects and reduce the minutes of its veterans.
- Free agent addition Leandro Barbosa is giving the Suns a nice spark off the bench and the team is thrilled about the 34-year-old’s production, as Doug Haller of The Arizona Republic relays. “He’s a professional scorer,” Watson said. “He’s one of the best to do it since I’ve been in the league, and he’s done it for a long time at a high level. He has three things that he’s mastered offensively, and you can’t take away all three in one possession.”
- Rookie Tyler Ulis is making the most of his playing time on the Suns, Haller writes in a separate piece. The play of Ulis could make it easier for the team to deal Knight.