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NBA athletes don’t get a lot of second chances but the Detroit Pistons are giving one promising player another shot at greatness.

The team is currently in transition and attempting to be something to look out for in the Eastern Conference.

This comes after years of the squad struggling to even come close to the playoffs.

As part of their long, slow rebuild, the team just announced two signings: they re-signed Rodney McGruder and made a deal for Kevin Knox.

McGruder has been on Detroit’s roster for two years now and has averaged 5.4 points in 14.8 minutes per game.

As for Knox, coming to Detroit will possibly mark the beginning of something special after a big start and a few huge roadblocks.

Knox Is Back

Knox was the ninth pick of the 2018 draft but things have been very uneven for the young star since then.

He did well in his first season with the New York Knicks, averaging 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.

But head coach Tom Thibodeau seemingly lost interest in Knox and the amount of time he spent on the court was significantly cut down in the following seasons.

He played for an average of 28.8 minutes per game in his first season.

Following that, he averaged 17.9 minutes, 11.0, and then just 8.5 during his last games with the Knicks.

He was sent packing to the Atlanta Hawks but the team had no interest in retaining him and didn’t offer him a deal in the summer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Pistons are hoping to turn things around this season and they have a roster of players who are willing to really pour their hearts out and try their hardest to make an impact.

Knox will be just one of many enthusiastic go-getters in the lineup.

This article first appeared on The Cold Wire and was syndicated with permission.

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