The Sixer Sense
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NBA Rumors: Will 76ers Pursue Suns’ Bledsoe or Knight

By Bret Stuter

May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker represents his team during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker represents his team during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (left) and guard Eric Bledsoe pose for a portrait during media day at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight (left) and guard Eric Bledsoe pose for a portrait during media day at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Price of Moving On

While neither player is expected to suffer long term effects from those injuries, both have endued enough to push the Suns to moving on from at least one.  But at what cost?    Dealing with highly productive players prone to injury can set the price tag all over the board- relative to the team trading for or away from the player.  Surprisingly, the Phoenix Suns did not move either before the draft – in agreement- as now many teams either have a point guard solution in hand or will expect to sign a point guard in the upcoming free agency.

The risks of trading for either player at this point are very very real.   Brandon Knight is very good offensively, but he’s a defensive liability. This was pointed out in a recent analysis on the Suns’ point guard situation.

As complicated as the issue was under Booker, it gets even more strained under Booker and Ulis.  Like it or not, the salary spent on Bledsoe and Knight places them into the presumptive starting roles for the Phoenix Suns.  Bench them, and it won’t take long for frustration to erode the locker room as cheaper rookies and second year players earn the starts and quality minutes, while the big cash is spent on the bench.

That won’t fly for long.

Next: Phoenix Suns Can Jumpstart Rebuild Now