NBA: 10 players looking to shed injury-prone label in 2018-19
8. Brandon Knight, Houston Rockets
For the first three and a half years of his career, Brandon Knight was mostly healthy. Then came his Phoenix Suns tenure, which saw his value plummet to all-time lows due to poor play, an even worse fit and yes, plenty of injury problems.
Of a possible 273 games in the desert, Knight missed 156 of them. He’s dealt with an ankle injury, a heel bone bruise, arthroscopic ankle surgery, a sports hernia and a torn ACL during his time in Phoenix, hindering his ability to develop chemistry in the backcourt, improve on the defensive end or make any sort of impact that was expected after the Suns gave up a valuable first round pick to trade for him in the first place.
The Suns recently dealt Knight to the Houston Rockets, and though there will be less pressure on him coming off the bench, he’s being paid handsomely and will be the backup point guard for a title contender. He’s already off to a less than optimal start, health-wise:
On @theathleticnba @watchstadium: Houston's Brandon Knight underwent surgery on his left knee, considered a "clean up," and will miss some time, per league sources.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 20, 2018
A fresh start in a different environment could really help him in 2020 free agency, but another injury-stricken season after missing all of the 2017-18 campaign could be the final nail in his NBA coffin.