Former Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Knox is back in the G-League after going unsigned by an NBA team this summer. Playing with the Chicago Bulls G-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, Knox had a signature performance of the early season on Sunday, scoring 37 points on 11-for-20 shooting from the field (5-for-10 from three) with 10 rebounds in the Bulls 135-117 loss to the Cleveland Charge. Through seven games so far this season with the Bulls, Knox is averaging 21.3 points and 6.0 rebounds on .565/.490/.857 shooting in just 25.6 minutes per game. It’s still early, but he will receive another NBA opportunity soon if he continues putting up those kind of numbers.
Knox was once believed to be one of the best young wing prospects in the world. A five-star recruit to Kentucky, Knox led a Wildcats team filled with future NBA players in scoring and was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. Knox averaged 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as a teenage rookie, but struggled with efficiency.
Over time, Knox’s role in New York steadily declined. With him buried on the depth chart, Knox was part of a trade package to the Atlanta Hawks during the 2021-22 season. Knox finished out the season with Atlanta and became a free agent for the first time. He signed with the Detroit Pistons before he was once again traded, this time in the four-team deal that brought Gary Payton II back to Golden State, and landed with the Trail Blazers.
Back in free agency last offseason, he once again signed with the Pistons. He received his most sizable playing time since his rookie year, averaging 7.2 points on very efficient shooting (59.8% from two, 33.3% from three, and 90.9% from the free-throw line) in 18.1 minutes per game. However, once again, after just 31 games in Detroit, Knox was traded once again. He landed with the Utah Jazz, who immediately waived him. Unable to find another NBA home, he finished the year out in the G-League before landing a Summer League deal with the Dubs.
Knox impressed in training camp and the preaseason and earned a spot with the Santa Cruz Warriors that eventually landed him on the Warriors NBA roster. While Knox never received a massive opportunity, he was unable to impress the Dubs enough to receive a contract extension with the team.