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It’s no secret that the Houston Rockets have been dealing with injuries to their lineup this season. In fact, they have two players who were expected to contribute that have yet to play single game on the year.
Veteran center Nene has been out since the offseason with a strained calf that he re-aggravated in October, and guard Brandon Knight has also been out since the offseason after undergoing a surgical procedure to clean up his knee, which then led into a knee infection. And while there’s currently no official public timetable for either player’s return, it appears as though the Rockets could be getting at least one of them back in a the not-too-distant future.
Knight was spotted today in full regular practice gear getting shots up, which would suggest his return to the court could be imminent.
Brandon Knight in full gear today getting shots up at Rockets practice, would be perhaps the first time this season he’s done this. Still not an official timetable for his return, but this is a promising sign. pic.twitter.com/o2EI6f7kmD
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIkoNBA) November 14, 2018
There’s still some steps to take before we see Knight in a game, but just the sight of him in a Rockets uniform is some positive mojo for a guy that the Rockets could really use as they battle back from an ugly start to the year.
We’re going to need to see some full practices before we can expect him to get a crack at joining the rotation, but if he can come back healthy, Knight has the potential to be extremely useful as another ball-handling guard.
Eric Gordon has really struggled with his shot so far this year, shooting just 32 percent from the field and 23 percent from three, so Houston certainly could use another option in the backcourt. And Knight’s one-on-one skills could be a smooth fit in the Houston system provided he regains his explosiveness following surgery.
Knight carries career averages of 15 points, 4 assists, and 1 steal per game, and he also is a career 36 percent shooter from beyond the arc. If healthy, he can help the Rockets despite some limitations.
The Rockets won’t be expecting him to come in and be the man, however. They’ll just be looking for him to contribute, and he has the skill set to do so on a Mike D’Antoni squad.
Hopefully, we see Knight back on the hardwood for an actual game sooner rather than later.