The Golden State Warriors went a combined 7-1 between the California Classic and the NBA2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas, and the team gave fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Fans had the opportunity to take a look at what the future could hold for the Warriors, and things are looking bright even with Steph Curry reaching the back nine of his career.
One undrafted free agent put on a spectacular performance and one of the all-time draft busts to date showed that he could potentially reinvent himself as a useful contributor. Let’s take a closer look at three overreactions from the Warriors' success in Summer League.
Daeqwon Plowden could be an all-star
Plowden is a long, wiry wing with unlimited upside. He could also play a valuable role for the Warriors in the next few years. Curry's shelf life is limited, but he will likely still be an effective player three or four years from now. That's because he’s one of the greatest shooters of all time and shooting is typically the last skill that a player loses.
It would be unrealistic to expect Plowden to reach anywhere near the level of Kevin Durant, but he doesn’t have to. The Warriors were obviously at their best when they had Durant on the roster, but they were nearly as dominant with Harrison Barnes. Barnes was an elite wing player who fit the Warriors’ roster perfectly.
Plowden was an undrafted free agent, and he’s currently on a two-way contract. It would be an uphill battle for him to emerge as any sort of contributor, and it would be absolutely shocking if he were to become a starter, much less a critical component of the team with All-Star upside.
Yet Plowden showed brief glimpses during Summer League play of his potential fit in the Warriors’ starting lineup in the Harrison Barnes role. Nobody expected this level of production from an undrafted free agent, but if he’s able to fill this role, the Warriors will benefit greatly.
Quinten Post could be a capable rotation player
Quinten Post has a fitting name for a big man, but he doesn’t necessarily play the traditional interior game that is associated with the position. Post is certainly capable of playing near the restricted area, but he’s also a nice fit for the modern NBA game because he can step out to the three-point line and knock down jumpers with consistency.
Post can hit shots from both the mid-range and beyond the arc, which forces defenders to guard him differently than they would most big men. It also pulls rim protectors away from the basket, which can open up driving opportunities for Steph Curry and the team’s other guards and wings. As the 52nd overall pick, this would be an outcome Golden State would sign up for in a heartbeat.
The resurrection of Kevin Knox
Knox was selected in the lottery by the New York Knicks during the 2018 NBA draft, but he has been an undisputed bust to this point in his NBA career. He was drafted with the promise of being a three-level scorer who could also play capable defense. Knox was expected to be a cornerstone for the Knicks and is now battling for his NBA life during Summer League.
Knox isn’t quite big enough to bully defenders off their position, and he doesn’t have the athletic fluidity, speed or ball-handling to break down his defender and get to the rim off the dribble with consistency.
He has decent form on his jumpshot, but has struggled with volume and consistency. This is not a good combination for a player to find success in the NBA, and Knox has been unable to differentiate himself in any other way.
He’s also not particularly effective as a playmaker, making the wrong decision too often. He forces passes when he shouldn’t, leading to turnovers, and he frequently misses teammates who are open for a clean look at the basket.
During Summer League play with the Warriors, that all changed. Knox was an effective shooter, and that opened up other areas of his game. Whether he has found some tweaks to his form or whether he was just on a hot streak, we don’t yet know. What is apparent is that when Knox is able to consistently knock down open jumpshots, it unlocks the rest of his game.
Even if it was just a hot streak, this shows what Knox is capable of. Perhaps this will help him in the future by convincing him to focus primarily on shooting. If Knox can reinvent himself as an elite floor spacer with upside in other areas of the game, he can carve out a nice role for himself in the NBA. He might never become the superstar that many thought he could be on draft night in 2018, but that doesn’t mean his prospects for an NBA career are over.
Knox may be seen as a bust right now, but as long as he is still in the league, there is an opportunity to resurrect his career. The final chapter on Knox’s NBA story hasn’t been written yet, and he still has a path to being a productive player.
He’s been completely written off at this point in his career, but there are still reasons to believe in Knox despite the small sample size. He demonstrated progress at Summer League and is deserving of a roster spot and a chance to earn his place in the rotation.
Follow Us
Subscribe
