CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 20: Kevin Knox II #20 of the New York Knicks drives down court during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 20, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
The New York Knicks are the epitome of disaster in the NBA, and while they’ve committed to a youth generated rebuild, the direction they’re headed is questionable. Hiring Leon Rose to be the moral compass for the organization is a boom or a bust move, but his reputation as a super-agent has convinced ownership that he can right a woefully wrong ship.
The Knicks, though, remain in a state of peril having being eliminated from playoff contention already. They so poorly navigated the trade deadline, refusing to accept that Kevin Knox should have been a trading piece instead of a hard-bargaining chip.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the Knick expressed their desire to retain Knox as teams knocked on the door about his availability.
Knox’s playing time in year-two has dropped from 28.8 minutes to a minuscule 18.1. Interim head coach Mike Miller, attempting to solidify his position, began to roll out a team that can win, and that happily left Knox on the bench. Even though Miller saw success at times, the Knicks stayed put with their confidence in Knox. Having started 57 games as a rookie, he has only started four measly games during the 2019-20 season.
That reality should indicate how confident the Knicks really are in his abilities, or rather their desire to continue developing him. That’s what makes their lack of ambition to move him strange.
The Knicks do believe he’s a vital part of the future starting team, and being only 20-years-old does give him leverage in the situation — they figured he wasn’t ready for the big stage yet, physically. Still, he shows flashes of ability at times.
However, second-round pick from 2018, Mitchell Robinson, has emerged as a bonafide starter for New York, and RJ Barrett has already established his talents on the court at the NBA level. Of course, Barrett has a long way to go before he reaches his potential, but his development compared to Knox is on a completely different plane.
This post was published on 2020-03-02 07:30
