As a 19-year-old rookie for the New York Knicks in 2018, Kevin Knox had little experience and a ton of expectation on his shoulders.
Knox was labeled one of the NBA’s worst players last season, but there were some positives to take away and work off of. His tenacity towards getting to the hoop and offensive-minded approach is beneficial for his development.
His primary challenge is finishing and having consistency during the regular season. Knox flashed serious potential in the Summer League this off-season, which gives us hope that he can be an impact player for the Knicks moving forward.
However, he could find playing time hard to come by with the signing of multiple veterans that will be vying for minutes. One thing that held Knox back last season was the lack of good defenders around him. At times he looked utterly lost or lacked effort. For a player his size, he needs to work on his rebounding, as he averaged 4.5 per game in his rookie campaign.
My general question is: Who will be more influential for the—Kevin Knox or Allonzo Trier?
Their 2018-19 totals:
Knox: 12.8 points, 1.5 turnovers, 1.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds, .387% shooting from the field, .343% shooting from three, over 28.8 minutes.
Trier: 10.9 points, 1.8 turnovers, 1.9 assists, 3.1 rebounds, .466% shooting from the field, .394% shooting from three, over 22.8 minutes.
From these numbers alone, we can see that Knox had more playing time and more opportunity to produce over Trier, but the latter option was more efficient in the scoring department while on the floor.
His percentages from both two-point and three-point shots were far better and more efficient. Knox can be a prolific scorer driving to the basket, but Trier seems to be more of a sharpshooter who is deadly in space and can win in the isolation game.
The consensus is that Knox will be a starting player who will at least earn plenty of minutes to showcase his abilities and refine his skills. Trier will have to fight for his time on the floor and develop his perimeter game and three-point shot to make an impact on the team further. His lack of defense his abilities hurts his overall influence, but his offensive production makes him a must-play at times.
Having players like Dennis Smith Jr. at point guard and RJ Barrett penetrating the paint will give Knox better opportunities from the perimeter. He will need to refine his abilities in the scoring department if he wishes to be one of the New York Knicks best players moving forward. There’s a lot still for him to learn, but he’s on the right track.
Overall, I can see Trier having the better season if he manages to increase his production from beyond the arc. His defense isn’t as refined, but he has the tenacity and motivation to play hard on both sides of the ball. He is an incredibly gifted scorer who likely has a cap on his potential, while Knox is just learning how to reach it. For now, Trier will be a more productive option.