The Golden State Warriors are likely to say goodbye to a number of players this offseason as they look to upgrade the roster around the veteran trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency is set to dominate discussion over the coming weeks, but the young forward may not be the only former top 10 pick to depart the Warriors this offseason.
Kevin Knox II is unlikely to remain with the Warriors
Golden State currently have four top 10 picks on the roster — Kuminga, Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield and Kevin Knox II. The latter has been on quite the journey since he was drafted ninth overall by the New York Knicks in 2018, with his latest NBA stint coming with the Warriors at the end of this season.
Having appeared in 31 games for the Detroit Pistons last season, Knox impressed for Golden State in Summer League and subsequently earned a place on the training camp roster before being waived just prior to the season.
The 25-year-old continued to press an undeniable case with some stunning form for Santa Cruz in the G League, and was eventually rewarded with a pair of 10-day contracts and ultimately a standard deal with the Warriors in March.
Knox’s combination of size, athleticism and scoring ability was an intriguing addition to Golden State, but in reality he never got enough opportunity to prove his case for a bigger role. His most playing time actually came in the playoffs during Game 5 of the first-round series against the Houston Rockets, playing nearly 18 minutes where he recorded 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and a block as the Warrior bench nearly threatened a remarkable comeback victory.
Knox appeared in 14 regular season games for the Warriors, averaging 3.3 points and 1.2 rebounds while shooting 50% from the floor and 26.7% from 3-point range. While he certainly made strides and looked far too good for the G League level, Knox didn’t particular show enough in his time with Golden State to suggest he can rejuvenate his career substantially.
As the Warriors prepare to hit free agency, it’s likely that they put Knox on the back-burner and look to upgrade the final roster spots with more veteran and proven players. Even if it comes down to bringing back Knox or re-signing unrestricted free agents Kevon Looney and/or Gary Payton II, you’d imagine Golden State would take the latter approach.
If he doesn’t find an NBA deal elsewhere, perhaps Knox can return on a training camp deal and push his case, or at the very least return to Santa Cruz and play well in the hope that roster spots open up at the Warriors as they did this season after the Jimmy Butler trade.
