The Golden State Warriors have taken another step in filling out their roster following the blockbuster acquisition of Jimmy Butler, with the franchise reportedly set to sign Kevin Knox II to a 10-day contract coming out of the All-Star break.
Knox is set to be rewarded for impressive G League form with the Santa Cruz Warriors, having previously been part of Golden State's Summer League team and their training camp roster before being waived prior to the season.
Kevin Knox will hope Warriors can turn around an unwanted NBA record
The former ninth overall pick has averaged 25.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 12 regular season G League games with Santa Cruz, having shot an incredibly efficient 52.7% from the floor and 44.4% from beyond the arc.
After a promising rookie season, Knox developed the reputation as a draft bust given he was taken with the ninth overall pick by the New York Knicks in 2018. By his fourth-year Knox was traded along with a protected future first-round pick for Cam Reddish, Soloman Hill and a second-round pick, showcasing his decline in value despite being just 22-years-old at the time.
Following 31 games with the Detroit Pistons last season, Knox was waived after last year's trade deadline and found himself without an NBA contract. His inability to contribute to winning basketball finally caught up with him, evidenced by career shooting percentages of 39.2% from the floor and 34.1% from 3-point range.
But if you want any further evidence, Knox has more turnovers than assists in his career, and most notably holds the NBA record for worst career win percentage of any active player. His .314% sits ahead of Collin Sexton (.326%), Dennis Smtih Jr. (.337%), Richaun Holmes (.354%) and Keldon Johnson (.374%) who round the top (bottom) five. Former Warrior Jordan Poole has the 15th-worst win-loss career percentage at .402%.
While this is certainly an unwanted NBA record, it also brings a sense of optimism given that Knox is finally at a franchise that's focused on winning rather than their odds in the upcoming draft lottery. Golden State may only be a game above .500, but their pursuit of a playoff berth was showcased in last week's trade for Butler.
Perhaps that could allow a more mature Knox to fall into a complimentary role where the stars around him make his life easier. In turn, the 6'7" forward could provide a combination of size, athleticism and shooting that the Warriors could utilize as scoring option in the front court.
Hopefully by season's end Knox can solidify a future with the franchise and rid himself of an unwanted NBA record that's been fuelled by stops at rebuilding/tanking NBA teams.