The Orlando Magic need shooters. Kevin Knox II does not provide that.
The Orlando Magic’s roster is now at 20 players ahead of training camp after the organization announced its signing of forward Kevin Knox II on Wednesday.
The question is, did this signing do anything to help the Magic’s shooting troubles, which is something I said they needed to do? The answer is no.
What is Knox lacking?
Before we talk about why Knox is not a productive fit, let it be known this is a prove-it Exhibit 10 deal. Perhaps he can land a spot as a reserve player, but it is going to take work.
This move to bring in Knox was done immediately after the Magic signed and waived free agents Ace Baldwin Jr., Ricky Council IV, Jarron Cumberland and Au’Diese Toney. They were waived, and Knox was added to the roster.
This deal is perplexing. The Magic are not lacking in size, but it demonstrates the penchant of President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman to keep adding big wings to the roster.
Knox was successful in G-League stints with Rip City, Santa Cruz and Windy City in which he averaged 23.3 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 41% from 3-point range, but he has not been able to translate that production to an NBA setting.
In seven NBA seasons since he was drafted by the New York Knicks with the ninth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Knox has a career 39.3% field goal percentage and a 34% 3-point percentage. He has played in 320 games at the NBA level, and he has proven that he is not a shooter.
So, can he defend? Well, at 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds, he certainly puts a strong body on the floor that can disrupt teams, but that’s about it. For his career, Knox has only averaged 0.3 blocks and 0.4 steals.
The verdict
For Orlando, this signing just did not feel necessary. It is understandable that the roster needed to be filled out with training camp less than a week away, but the front office could have added a player with more upside.
At 27 years old, Knox is nearing the end of his runway as a developmental prospect, too. There is plenty of evidence that he can play at the G League level, but the Magic need another contributor who can hit shots.
Knox is not that, and it is difficult to believe he will turn into that in a way that is immediately beneficial for this team during the upcoming season.
