Minnesota Timberwolves: Buying or selling 5 trade targets

Minnesota Timberwolves Buy or Sell: Kevin Knox

Here we land on the player who has, comfortably, had the least successful career of anybody on this list so far. You’re probably already tempted to skip ahead to what you’re expecting to see: Verdict: Sell.

Not so fast.

Kevin Knox has not had a decent developmental situation yet in his young NBA career. He started out averaging a woefully inefficient 12.8 points per game for a horrible New York Knicks team.

Fast-forward two seasons to 2020-21, and he’s buried on the bench by a coach who, as Timberwolves fans know well, strongly prefers to play smart, defensive-minded veteran players.

Knox may not be any of those things, but here’s the rub: it should cost Minnesota virtually nothing to acquire him. A protected second-round pick is very much in play.

Tom Thibideau is highly unlikely to give Knox any more than the 11 minutes per game he spared him last season. The Knicks have no use for him, and a change of scenery could easily enhance Knox’s game. This is still the 6-foot-7 combo forward with the pristine shooting stroke that was drafted No. 9 overall in the 2018 draft.

He is also the kind of floor spacer we’ve discussed the Timberwolves adding. Last year, Knox finished with a shooting split of 39/39/80. That’s not the most inspiring statistic in this article, but, a deeper look reflects that two-thirds of Knox’s field goal attempts were actually 3-point attempts. That first 39 is significantly less frightening with that consideration in mind, and conversely, that second 39 actually ends up looking pretty intriguing.

It’s not the sexiest choice. It won’t lead to parades in the streets of Minnesota. But Kevin Knox could end up being a steal for the Timberwolves at the right price.

Verdict: Buy