Orlando Magic sign former Knicks lottery pick

Can Sean Sweeney's Magic Untap Kevin Knox's Potential?

The 6'8" forward has bounced around the league after falling short of lottery pick expectations in New York, playing for 5 NBA teams plus a G League team in his last 8 seasons, yet Knox has stuck in the league for his potential as a 3&D athletic play-finisher who entered the league at a young age.

To that extent, Knox has proven a willingness to stroke it from deep, hitting 34% 3P% on just over 3 3PA per game through 7 NBA seasons, and 41% 3P% on over 200 3PA in 26 G League games with Windy City last year

One realistic outcome for positive impact from a night-to-night basis will coming from hot 3pt shooting nights with a mix of athletic effort plays converting at the rim off cuts, rolls, and transition rim-runs off the creation of others – a high-energy sparkplug 3pt shooting forward.

New Magic Head Coach Sean Sweeney's challenge is accomplishing what most coaches have generally been unable to: unlock Knox's potential consistent two-way athleticism merging defensive focus, energy play intensity, and playing off the gravity of others while utilizing hit 3pt shooting and athletic advantages of his own.

Can Sweeney's new defensive schemes such as his aggressive switching concepts untap some of Knox's athletic potential when flanked with so much contagious defensive energy around him with the likes of Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane , Noah Penda, Goga Bitadze, and Wendell Carter Jr.?

Could Sweeney's assistant coaching hires on the offensive end help refine Knox's efficiency from deep as a 3pt shooter and as a scorer overall?

While it's easier said than done, it's not impossible that with this next opportunity, and as Knox ages into his prime athletic years while refining that 3pt shot, that he could buy into the right system and bring positive two-way impact on top of the bouncy athletic rebounding, play-finishing at the rim, and streaky yet capable 3pt shooting from the perimeter he already offers.

Knox enters Orlando with minimal expectations. While his role will start as a bench reserve, opportunity pops up sporadically in the NBA; now he just needs to seize his moment.