NBA free agency: 30 worst free agent signings in NBA history
7 Years, $22 Million. Travis Knight. 24. player. 18. . Boston Celtics
Worst free agency signings in NBA history: 24. Travis Knight, Boston Celtics
Travis Knight is an interesting case of jumping the gun in free agency. After being drafted No. 29 overall by the Chicago Bulls in 1996 NBA Draft, he was cut by them by July. He signed a few days later as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He spent one season as a rookie with the Lakers before other suitors came calling for his services. Following a one-year stint with the Lakers back during the 1996-97 NBA season, Knight found himself with a well-paid offer on the table as an unrestricted free agent.
He had just finished producing 4.8 points, 4.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds per contest through 71 appearances for the Lakers during the 1996-97 NBA season as a big man. It was enough to earn him NBA All-Rookie honors and the Celtics’ newly hired general manager and head coach Rick Pitino had seen enough to make a move.
Pitino offered Knight a seven-year deal worth $22 million and right away Knight expressed his impulsive nature by expressing his feelings of disloyalty to the Lakers after signing in Boston.
Knight lasted one season in Boston, producing 6.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game before requesting a trade. He was traded back to the Lakers by Boston for the services of Tony Battie.
He managed to stick around during the 1999-00 NBA season to win an NBA Championship as a backup. After that season, he finished out the final years of his deal with the New York Knicks from 2000 to 2003.