New York Knicks: Kevin Knox can take a big jump by working on these weaknesses

New York Knicks, Kevin Knox
Dec 19, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox (20) dribbles against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

At just 19-years-old, New York Knicks 2018 first-round pick Kevin Knox was bound to face plenty of challenges at the professional level. Adapting to the speed and physicality of the NBA is not an easy feat, and Knox felt the brunt of that sword in his rookie season.

Nermous metrics ranked Knox as the worst rotational player in basketball. However, he has plenty of time to work on his weaknesses and blossom into a top player.

What does New York Knicks’ Kevin Knox need to work on?

The young power forward needs to work on his strength first and foremost. He was outmuscled and stuffed at the rim far too many times last season. He went through streaks of success but mostly struggled around the rim.

The ideal version of Knox would be a power forward that can knock down three-pointers, attack the rim through defenders and adapts to multiple positions with little adhesion. Kevin is still far from his physical prime at just 19, which promotes optimism.

At just 215-pounds, though, he will have to find a way to balance his game. Facing some of the better defenders in the league will test his abilities, and the Knicks signing a star might help him develop behind the scenes where he can tackle lesser defenders more frequently.

Adding a bit of weight and strength this offseason could be the catalyst for his expected growth. In addition to his size, three-point shooting should be a prioritized development for Knox moving forward.

On about five-attempts per-game, Knox shot 34.3 percent from beyond the arch. Not the worst percentage but certainly not the best. A majority of his attempts were catch and shoot, a stat that needs to be lessened if he wishes to be more impactful in that category. He needs to move around the floor more efficiently and create more separation.

However, Knox did knock down an impressive 39.4 percent of wide-open threes, which is impressive and a positive he needs to focus on. Lastly, he needs to work on attacking the rim.

At 6-foot-9, Knox has elite playmaking potential and scoring prowess. From the restricted area, he connected on just 48 percent of shots. A devastatingly low number that must be improved. Added strength should help in this department. Spending months in the gym during the offseason should allow him to elevate his game in year 2 — the Knicks will need him to be a valuable rotational player.