RT to welcome @GoodKnight11 to your Suns.
PHOTOS >> http://t.co/2Zei5pKaxZ
HIGHLIGHTS >> http://t.co/3pHApBE2my pic.twitter.com/wYKRmwG3VO
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 20, 2015
In the midst of a historic NBA trade deadline that saw a record 39 players shuffled around the league, three former Cats were traded on February 19. Brandon Knight, fresh off a second-place finish in last weekend’s All-Star Skills Challenge, was traded for the second time in his three-and-a-half-year career. Knight was moved from the Milwaukee Bucks (where he averaged 17.8 points and 5.4 assists per game) to the Phoenix Suns, where he will join Eric Bledsoe and Archie Goodwin in the backcourt. Knight’s college teammate Enes Kanter was dealt from the Utah Jazz (where he was selected third overall in the 2011 NBA Draft) to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lastly, former 2001 SEC Player of the Year Tayshaun Prince was traded for the second time this season. The four-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team performer was moved from the Boston Celtics (after a five-week stint with the team) back to the Detroit Pistons, where he spent the first 10 and a half seasons of his career and won his only NBA championship in 2003-04.Performance of the WeekDeMarcus Cousins | Sacramento Kings: 109, Boston Celtics: 103In Sacramento’s first game since February 11, Cousins scored 31 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a six-point win at home on February 20. The 6-foot-11 former Wildcat averages 23.9 PPG and 12.3 RPG on the season.Cats in the SpotlightDeMarcus Cousins | #15 C | Sacramento Kings (19-35)In addition to Friday’s monster double-double outing, Cousins scored 21 points the very next day in a 126-99 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The two games were the Kings’ first under new head coach George Karl.Archie Goodwin | #20 SG | Phoenix Suns (29-27)After trading away the lion’s share of Phoenix’s distributable backcourt minutes in Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas, the Suns opened playing time for second-year player Archie Goodwin. The Arkansas native twice matched a season-high 12 points in two games this weekend. Goodwin averaged 19.0 minutes per game in the two Phoenix losses.Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | #14 SF | Charlotte Hornets (22-31)In his first game back since suffering a right hamstring injury that kept him out of two Hornets contests, Kidd-Gilchrist scored 20 points (on 4-for-4 free-throw shooting), grabbed four rebounds, and recorded three steals on February 21. Charlotte lost to the Thunder, 110-103.Nerlens Noel | #4 C | Philadelphia 76ers (12-42)With a stat line that Sixers head coach Brett Brown called “fantastic,” Noel went down in Philadelphia basketball history on February 20. After blocking five shots in the game’s first 10 minutes, Noel finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, nine blocks, and four steals on the day. The 2013 SEC Defensive Player of the Year became the first NBA rookie to record such a stat line since steals and blocks were initially tracked in 1973-74.John Wall | #2 PG | Washington Wizards (33-22)Despite a 127-89 blowout loss at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wall logged 18 points, nine assists, and five rebounds on February 20. Wall made what many considered to be the Wizards’ play of the game in a firsthand showcase of his nonstop competitive motor.
