OKC Thunder: Pros and cons of trading for Knicks forward Kevin Knox

Cons of the OKC Thunder trading for Kevin Knox

At such a low value, there aren’t many cons to taking a chance on Knox but, nonetheless, there are still a few.

One of the major drawbacks to bringing on the 21-year-old is the potential repercussions it could have on the other wings on the OKC Thunder roster.

This rebuild is all about developing the young talents they currently have in tow. Because of this, guys like Dariuz Bazley, Justin Jackson, Hami Diallo, and even rookie Aleksej Pokuševski from time to time have been able to log substantial minutes within the rotation.

Adding a guy like Knox could have a negative impact on each of these players, as his arrival would certainly cut into their time spent on the hardwood as well as limiting their shot attempts which, in turn, could slow down their development.

Perhaps the other biggest concern of dealing for Knox is the fact that they’d obviously have to give up assets in the deal to acquire him.

While it would likely not take much, per se, as we discussed potentially offloading a few future second-round picks and Ty Jerome, we’ve seen with the likes of Theo Maledon and Diallo — both of whom are proving to be more efficient and effective than Knox — that the Thunder can find impressive players late in drafts.

The third-year forward has played more like a traditional second-round pick throughout his young career rather than a top-20 player, whereas a second-round pick like Maledon has played like a top-20 pick.