Former New York Knicks lottery pick Kevin Knox is getting a shot with the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors are signing Knox to a 10-day deal, giving him a shot after a successful stint in the G League.
“The Warriors intend to sign Kevin Knox into one of their vacant roster spots out of the All-Star break,” Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported. “Ten-day contract. Knox is averaging 19.1 points, 7.3 rebounds in Santa Cruz. Organization has been high on him back to summer league. An extra big scoring wing.”
Knox never blossomed into the star the Knicks imagined when selecting him with the No. 9 overall pick in 2018. He got a lot of work out of the gate, logging 28.8 minutes per game as a rookie. Knox averaged 12.8 points and 4.5, shooting 37% from the field.
Kevin Knox Has Embraced G League Experience
Knox eventually fell out of the rotation in New York and was shipped to the Atlanta Hawks in a deal that landed the Knicks Cam Reddish. Knox bounced around after the trade, spending time with Portland and Detroit.
He signed with the Warriors in September but has played exclusively in the G League. Knox has embraced the opportunity to develop outside of the spotlight.
“It’s a mixture of a lot of things,” Knox told NBC Sports Bay Area in January. “Personally, I’d say it’s my fault being down here. A lot of guys don’t take the blame for situations like this, but for me, personally, I take the blame for a lot of stuff.
“If I perform better and play better up top, I won’t be here. Being down here, I don’t really take it as a demotion or anything. I take it as you come down here to learn, and learn under a great system. Work on things you need to work on.”
Knox may have a chance to play against his former team on March 4 when the Warriors visit the Knicks.
Warriors Revitalized After Jimmy Butler Trade
The Warriors head into the all-star break with a 28-27 record but have won three of their last four. Golden State swung a blockbuster deal for Jimmy Butler, who has changed the team’s mood.
“He’s a franchise changer,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said about Butler. “He’s done that everywhere he’s gone, and he is helping revitalize what we got here. The belief amongst this team, now that he’s arrived, as opposed to what it was before he got here, it’s night and day.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr echoed that sentiment.
“Jimmy, he’s a real deal,” Kerr said. “I mean, just a complete basketball player, methodical, under control all the time, plays at his own pace, never turns it over, sees the game and then can get to the line frequently. Great closer, not in the traditional sense where he’s going to be Kevin Durant and make four straight midrange jumpers, but it’s more of a complete game. Get to the line, make the right pass, get somebody else an open look, get a defensive stop, get a rebound. He’s a fantastic player.”
Butler has averaged 21.2 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.2 assists in four games with the Warriors.
