3 Portland Trail Blazers who definitely won't be back next season

3 Portland Trail Blazers who definitely won’t be back next season

By Ian Levy | Mar 29, 2023

Oct 4, 2022; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Justise Winslow (26), left, center Jusuf Nurkic (27), and guard Damian Lillard (0) watch the game during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mar 3, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Kevin Knox II (11) dribbles while on the bench prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Kevin Knox

Knox came to the Trail Blazers at the deadline as well, as part of the deal that sent Gary Payton II to the Warriors and James Wiseman to the Pistons. He’s played in just 14 games and has actually put up some reasonable numbers in all the garbage time — 16.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per 36 minutes. But given his track record, those numbers are probably more signal than noise.

Knox is still just 23 but he’s also a 34.2 percent 3-point shooter across 850 career attempts. He’s also a bad defender which all but shuts down the most obvious role for him to slip into, as a 6-foot-9, 3-and-D bench player who can get the consistent minutes he needs to develop. He just doesn’t have much to offer a competitive version of the Trail Blazers next season and if they are going to carve out developmental minutes for a young wing with upside, Sharpe, Keon Johnson or Trenton Watford make a lot more sense.

Knox is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will almost certainly be looking for a new home.

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