Kevin Knox is going through a sophomore slump, but the New York Knicks aren’t giving up on the young forward yet.
According to Ian Begley of SNY, the New York Knicks were reluctant to trade away Kevin Knox, unless it was for a young star.
“But teams generally had the feeling that Knox was not going to be moved unless it was for a young star, sources say,” wrote Begley. “So that gives you some indication of how the club values Knox.
“Many in the organization viewed him as part of the young core, which included Mitchell Robinson and RJ Barrett, to build around moving forward, per sources.”
Knox, 20, is still one of the youngest players in the NBA. The ups and downs are to be expected with a player his age. The Kentucky product is far too young to give up on, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s having a dreadful season. The combo forward is averaging 6.5 points on .362/.319/.641 shooting splits.
Part of the reason for Knox’s decline could lie in his inconsistent role in the rotation. His minutes are down to around 18 per game after he averaged just under 29 during his rookie season. Right now, Knox is buried on the bench behind Reggie Bullock and Maurice Harkless.
Knox was benched for the entire second half against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday and only played eight minutes in the game. Even though his playing time might not reflect it, the Knicks still value Knox and see him as a key part of the future.
