New York Knicks could be looking to trade Kevin Knox II

Coming into the season, the New York Knicks were optimistic about Kevin Knox. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft was considered a high upside prospect who just needed time to develop his skills.

The first two seasons with the orange and blue were difficult for Knox. He experienced ups and downs, as many young players do. He flashed potential now and again, but overall his skill set was very raw. With his former assistant coach at Kentucky, Kenny Payne, joining Tom Thibodeau’s staff this season, there was hope that Knox would turn things around in his third season. 

Things started well. Knox was improved as a shooter, knocking down a career-high 38.5 percent from the 3-point line. He looked more engaged and was doing some of the little things to help the team succeed. However, things quickly went south as Knox struggled defensively and could not find any consistency on the court. Now, it sounds like the Knicks are ready to throw in the towel.

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks didn’t want to include Kevin Knox in trade talks with the Detroit Pistons for Derrick Rose because they ‘may be saving (Knox) for another deal.’

Now, the question is, what would they be looking for in return? There are clear needs in New York. They need a small forward and could be in the market for an extra big man after Mitchell Robinson fractured his hand against the Washington Wizards. The team is also lacking consistent 3-point shooting and could use some floor spacing.

Right now, Knox won’t fetch much on his own. He is young enough that there should be plenty of NBA teams that believe they can unlock his untapped potential. He has the size to be a lockdown defender across the multiple positions; he just hasn’t been able to figure it out with the Knicks.

Teams aren’t going to trade much based on what could be when the results we have seen thus far aren’t great. New York could use Knox in a bigger deal, as they are rumored to be monitoring the situations involving Victor Oladipo and Bradley Beal.

No matter what the Knicks decide to do, whether swing for the fences or just make smaller deals as they did to add Derrick Rose, one thing is clear; Knox will be a part of those discussions.

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