New York Knicks: Top five trade assets before 2019 NBA Draft

3. Kevin Knox

Kevin Knox had an inconsistent rookie season, but it still found a December Rookie of the Month award along the way after a red-hot 31 days. Head coach David Fizdale never let up on the 2018 first-round pick’s minutes, and he jumped straight into the NBA fire, for better or worse.

Fizdale is already working with Knox for next season, so the latter’s value could improve with a higher statistical season from a sub-40 percent mark from the field.

However, the New Orleans Pelicans have their eye on the Kentucky product, suddenly putting his trade value into play. A deal, like for the aforementioned Anthony Davis, would take a haul, and while Knox showed upside, more is needed to pull this off.

If Knox’s first season displayed better shooting numbers and a higher points-per-game mark, it might not require a multi-player, multi-pick package to acquire the other Wildcats product, but you have to give to get.

Knox is 6-foot-9 and stretches the floor. Most players are asked to do this in the 2019 version of the NBA, but early signs of his game show potential proficiency in this area. It was below 35 percent as a rookie, although at just 19 years old and a long way to develop.

For a player of lesser caliber than Davis, Knox can lead a deal, or if a team has little leverage to move a disgruntled star. Otherwise, while valuable, he is good enough as a package’s second-best player.