The Golden State Warriors are signing Kevin Knox after the forward made a strong impression with the franchise during the NBA Summer League. Knox comes with a strong pedigree as the No. 9 pick in the 2018 NBA draft selected by the New York Knicks.
“Free agent F Kevin Knox has agreed to a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell @TheAthletic,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania detailed in a September 25, 2024, message on X. “The six-year NBA veteran averaged 7.2 points in 18 minutes a game for the Pistons last season, and now will compete in Warriors training camp.”
Knox has not exactly lived up to the lofty expectations that accompany being a top-10 pick. The forward has not topped double-digit points since his rookie season in 2018-19. It was Knox’s best season during his six years in The Association averaging 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in 75 appearances with the Knicks.
Kevin Knox Signed With the Warriors After Being a Standout Player in the 2024 NBA Summer League
The forward was dealt in the midst of his fourth season with the Knicks in a deal with the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline. Knox went on to have short stints with the Portland Trail Blazers and Detroit Pistons. The veteran averaged 7.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 31 appearances for the Pistons in 2023-24.
If you are a Warriors fan looking for reasons to be optimistic about Knox, the former top-10 pick was a standout performer in the NBA Summer League. Knox averaged 17.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and a block per game in Vegas.
https://x.com/nbagleague/status/1816866370031907072
Knox was a top NBA draft prospect based on his collegiate career with the Kentucky Wildcats. Here’s how Knox was described heading into the 2018 NBA draft.
“Smooth game in a large 6-foot-7 body for a wing,” HoopsHype detailed. “Can shoot, dribble and attack the basket. Still very raw. Not close to reaching his potential yet. Needs to build his confidence in the G League or a lottery team with heavy minutes. Little defensive impact. Should have stayed a couple more years in college to refine skillset.”
Can Kevin Knox Make the Warriors Final Roster for 2024-25?
Now, the question is whether Knox will be able to make the Warriors roster. Even with Klay Thompson moving on to the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors may prefer to give some of their younger players a chance. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater outlined why Golden State may not be the best fit for a player like Knox attempting to make a crowded roster.
“That is the reality that any veteran free agent — like [Justin] Holiday, [Nassir] Little or someone like Kevin Knox, who flashed at times for the Warriors’ summer league team — must face when deciding whether to pursue a camp invite from the Warriors or elsewhere,” Slater wrote in a September 19, 2024, story titled, “What I’m hearing about how the Warriors are filling out their roster amid financial constraints.” “The path to a regular-season roster spot is impeded.
“It isn’t impossible, though. There’s a level of flexibility. Two of the Warriors’ 14 current roster players are on non-guaranteed contracts: Gui Santos and Lindy Waters III. If a player lit it up enough for the Warriors in camp and preseason, the front office could flip out Santos or Waters for them.”
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