New York Knicks: Realistic goals for Kevin Knox in 2019-20

What can Kevin Knox look to achieve in his second season with the New York Knicks?

Kevin Knox is set for his second NBA season this fall. After the New York Knicks selected him in the top 10 of the 2019 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-9 forward found the usual inconsistencies that most rookies experience in their first go-around.

Plus, Knox worked through a 17-65 record, which featured few positives for anyone on that roster. It led to a merciful end to the year, but the chance to regroup.

Now a sophomore, Knox will vye for improvement in the upcoming campaign. His first year was anything but perfect, so there are paths to take for him to take for the six-month NBA season.

What can Knox look to achieve along the way and make this a successful year? Let’s take a look:

5. Use size to grab more rebounds

Players standing 6-foot-9 should have quality rebounding numbers. This frame places them taller than most NBA talents, allowing them to use their body closer to the basket to grab rebounds and either create or extend possessions.

In Kevin Knox’s rookie season, this was not the case, with just 4.5 rebounds per game in 28.8 minutes. His Per 36 Minutes rebounds average was just 5.6.

Both numbers are poor and partially indicate Knox’s lack of defensive talent as a rookie, but growth can and should be expected from someone who will play their second NBA season at just 20 years old.

Bigger frontcourt players handled more rebounds, sure, including Enes Kanter, DeAndre Jordan and Mitchell Robinson. However, in 75 games, Knox had double-digit rebounds just four times, only one of which exceeded 10. He had 40 games of fewer than five rebounds, as well.

Knox will get stronger as he ages, so these numbers are likely to improve, at least with his Per 36 Minutes numbers. If he works the boards with other Knicks frontcourt players, it will give the team more scoring opportunities and contribute to a superior offensive unit compared to 2018-19.