Ranking 5 free agent targets with ties to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
By John Canady
3. Kevin Knox II
Kevin Knox II is another teammate from Gilgeous-Alexander’s collegiate run with the Wildcats. Knox II was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. The former Kentucky star entered the league with high aspirations and was considered to be another building block for the Knicks. Unfortunately, after his subpar rookie year, in which he averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, New York seemingly gave up on the talent following their addition of RJ Barrett.
Since then, Knox has found himself bouncing around the league before ultimately landing with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Kentucky alum finished the season with Portland, averaging 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists across 21 games. Although the young journeyman has five years of experience under his belt, Knox is still only 23 years old. Knox could be a good fit in OKC with the Thunder’s success in bringing in talent and allowing it to develop alongside their young squad.
If head coach Mark Daigneault can tap into Knox’s ability and put him in position to succeed, OKC could find a hidden gem in the former lottery selection. The Thunder could very likely bring in Knox on a cheap prove-it deal if they were interested in the forward.