Not every Kentucky product has started for the Knicks.
While rookie guard Immanuel Quickley and Julius Randle shot to the heights, fellow wildcat alum, forward Kevin Knox, defeated the Knicks 129-115 defeat Sunday on Sunday when he received his first DNP of the season.
The text was on the wall as Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau reduced Knox’s role when swingman Alec Burks and rookie attacker Obi Toppin returned from long-term injuries. Knox has played just eight minutes in each of the last two games, without attempting a point.
Their lottery pick in 2018 started the season with a bang, with three-point shooting range and deserving kudus from Thibodeau.
“It is clear that they are not prioritizing its development – the same as last year,” said one NBA scout.
Less than two weeks ago, Knox led the NBA in the three-point shooting percentage, but he stopped shooting. Knox scored just 6.1 points and shot 39.1 percent – and 39.1 percent from the 3-point range. Knox’s effective field goal percentage, which gives extra weight to 3-point manufacturing, is a healthy 50.5 percent – higher than Quickley and RJ Barrett.
Nevertheless, Thibodeau sees a bigger picture and falls in love with the grain of wing Reggie Bullock and even the stubbornness of Toppin, who does not shoot well (40.8 percent, 26.1 percent versus 3). When Toppin was out, Knox played many minutes at power forward.
It should be noted that Knicks president Leon Rose invested more in Toppin than Knox, who was selected ninth overall by Scott Perry, GM’s Knicks, and former president Steve Mills.
One person familiar with the coaching staff’s thinking says Thibodeau still feels that Bullock, Toppin and Burks offer “more energy” than Knox did recently, although no data exists to support that. One of Knox’s problems coming from Kentucky was a low car, but he competed harder this season.
Thibodeau recently praised Knox’s shot choice – he felt last season that he had tackled a lot of trouble. In turn, Knox recently said he should attack the edge more and not just rely on 3s.
The NBA scout said the slow pace of Knicks preferring Thibodeau is not as good as Knox. Indeed, the 6-8 Knox shines on the floor.
Knox’s shooting incident fell before the DNP on Sunday. He was just 4 of 17 in the seven previous games.
Thibodeau was likely worried on Sunday about Knox’s games against the Clippers’ elite forwards, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, as well as the rough Marcus Morris. Without Knox, however, the Knicks let a worst season of 129 points.
Barrett, who is trying to make the Knicks a small forward, struggled, but Leonard (28 points) did not contain.
The future for Knox, still only 21, looks bleak. If the DNPs continue, it will not be a shock if the Knicks send him for representatives to the G-League bubble in Orlando – as they did with Dennis Smith Jr.
Knox still has trade value, and The Post reported that Oklahoma City had an interest in him when the Knicks looked at a Chris Paul trade.
On Andrew Yang’s podcast last week, NBA concept expert Kevin O’Connor hinted that Knox might come into his own with another group if the Knicks became impatient with his slow development.
“(He was) a raw prospect that would come out of the concept, it would be a project,” O’Connor said. “And he’s still raw. Still a man who does not look ready to play. What a shame it is in year three. Look at the Knicks offense and how much difference a winger will make in this team. If anyone has someone like a developed Kevin Knox, this team will be completely different if they project forward. In the end, his team did not come together as it should – nor did his ball handling or decision making. ”
The Knicks used Knox’s fourth-year option, which will pay him $ 5.8 million next season.
“He looks like one of those guys that it would not shock me that as his second team or third team he would eventually become a quality NBA player,” said O’Connor, who works for The Ringer. ‘That’s the interesting thing about the Knicks with guys like Knox. They are probably worth more to the Knicks as a player in exchange for someone who can play right away and bring something. The people I talk to in the league are seen as someone who can degenerate. ”
The Knicks officially assigned Smith Jr., Ignas Brazdeikis and Jared Harper to the G League bubble in Orlando, which begins in mid-February. The season will last about four weeks.