How Brandon Knight is Reviving His Career

Brandon Knight, better known as ‘the guy drafted before Kemba Walker’ in 2011, was once considered a future All-Star. After making the All-Rookie 1st team in his rookie season, the Detroit Pistons were hopeful that they finally had their Point Guard for the future. He had a lot of promise and a lot of expectations, but his career fell short of that and he endured a long, painful journey back to Detroit.

Knight was a talented scorer, averaging 12.8 points, and shot 38% from beyond the arc in his first year. He was incosistent inside the arc, but that’s expected for a rookie. Knight was looking like a real talent in the NBA in the near future. 

His second year with the Pistons was also quite impressive. He got less efficient, but his playmaking improved and he averaged 13.3 points on the season, shooting a solid 40.7% and 36.7% from deep.

He was then traded to Milwaukee for the rising star, Brandon Jennings.

In Milwaukee, he averaged 17.9 points and almost five assists. He began to look like he really was going to be something special, but his efficiency was a problem.

Because of his lack of efficiency, he was traded again the next season to the Phoenix Suns.

While in Phoenix in the 2015-2016 season, Knight averaged a career-high 19.6 points per game, but on low efficiency and he only played 52 games.

That season ended up being his last one as a starter as he was put on the bench the next season, averaging just 11.0 points and only playing 54 games.

He ended up in Houston the next season and got traded to Clevland, playing just 39 games averaging 6.8 points.

He then got traded back to Detroit in the Andre Drummond trade, which brings us to today.

Knight has played four games with Detroit, the first two of which he didn’t really have a role in the rotation. These past two games, however, are a different story. In the two games where he got at least 20 minutes, he’s actually been an effective player.

It’s only a small sample size, sure, but with the season winding down, Knight is playing for his NBA life. In the past two games, he has averaged 14.5 points, 4.5 assists, and has shot 47.1% from the field, as well as 43.8% from deep., and that’s in just 22.5 minutes. He has shown legit improvements in his ball-handling and has shown his skill as a play maker. Although he didn’t get a role in Cleveland, he was clearly working on his game there and it is showing now.

Reports have come out that the Detroit Pistons would be open to signing Brandon Knight for a minimum deal as a veteran bench Point Guard next season. 

These two games alone are saving his career. No team would have even remembered that Knight existed if it wasn’t for the trade to Detroit. Knight has been put in the perfect situation for himself and he’s taking advantage. 

He’s showing hard work and maturity now. Something he did not have for a while in his career. If he keeps playing like this, he will get a contract somewhere. Remember, the dude is only 28 right now. 

I know, he’s a lot younger than you thought.

He has a good chance to receive a role on a team to be a solid backup Point Guard next season and get himself one last contract before his time in the NBA is up.

Knight’s hard work has been paying off and his play has been gaining some attention. He will likely either re-sign with the Pistons, or he will go to a contending team to be a backup Point Guard.

Either way, Knight is ensuring that he will be in the NBA for at least one more year. He will find a home this summer, so expect him to be a free agent that teams are interested in once the top free agents are gone.