Knight and Day: Can 'Cats recruit turn JR's men around?

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You could see red through the television on Saturday as the South East Melbourne Phoenix hammered the Perth Wildcats in their season opener at RAC Arena.

More red than usual for the mad Red Army after John Rillie's men gave up a 35-17 fourth quarter to fall to a 100-79 loss in front of their home fans.

Along with the mood within the stadium, you can sense an element of fierce frustration on social media from Wildcats fans, not only due to the effort given by their team in the 21-point loss at an arena which was previously a fortress for the franchise, but also because their star point guard recruit Brandon Knight wasn't there.

Knight, a 10-year NBA veteran, was officially announced by the Wildcats last week but due to the delay in making their final signing, the eighth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons didn't hit the floor.

While Perth have an impressive core already, led by the likes of Kristian Doolittle as well as Jo Lual-Acuil and Dylan Windler, Rillie's group were forced to share the point guard duties and play other talents out of position.

Oh, and once again, the Wildcats have no time to develop any type of chemistry with Knight and in an NBL27 which will be as hotly contested as ever, dropping early games - especially at home - could be a death sentence for the franchise's hopes of another title.

But as Knight comes in, could he help turn around the Wildcats and calm the frustration among their success-starved fans? Jason Cadee had his say on the latest edition of the Cut to the Jase podcast.

"I don't think they need a stud," Cadee said on the basketball.com.au podcast.

"I might be on my own there. I don't think they need a stud. I think (Knight's) experience helps. But he also has been playing in Puerto Rico, he hasn't played in the NBA or Europe competitions for a few years.

"So to me, what does he look like?

"Can he be someone (0:17) that can come in and help the ball move, get it where it needs to get to, make some shots where he needs to, then maybe that is enough.

"But I just think we've really got to see him in the flesh."

Knight needs to be the ingredient that allows Perth's talents all blend together, because Windler and college recruit Anthony Dell'Orso combining for two points in the opener against the Phoenix, isn't going to cut it.

And it doesn't get any easier as the Wildcats host former coach Trevor Gleeson and the championship-favourite Adelaide 36ers at RAC Arena on Thursday night.