Knicks Rumors: Kevin Knox could be on the trade block, per report

Has Kevin Knox played his final game as a member of the New York Knicks?

As the New York Knicks continue their interview process for a new head coach, president Leon Rose is watching film and presumably working with his new front office staff to assess the roster. According to Shams Charania, one player who could find himself on the trade block is 2018 NBA lottery pick Kevin Knox.

"“Kevin Knox, for whatever reason, has yet to gain traction within the Knicks, and his future could very well be up in the air going into next year,” Charania said. “It will be interesting to see if they do dangle him in trade talks and how far that does go.”"

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported earlier this month that Leon Rose is not sold on the second-year wing and “desperately” wanted to use the season’s final 16 games to evaluate him. Obviously, that opportunity was lost due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Berman reported in March that former coach David Fizdale and interim lead Mike Miller both thought Knox had a “tendency to play soft” and consequently reduced his minutes this season.

Kevin Knox has failed to live up to his potential for the New York Knicks.

Knox excited Knicks fans with a breakout Summer League performance in the weeks following his selection in the 2018 NBA Draft. But that version of Knox has yet to materialize against actual NBA competition. After a rocky rookie season that saw Fizdale use him in a trial-by-fire approach, Knox saw his minutes decline this past season as he continued to struggle with his shooting touch (35.9% from the field).

The Kentucky product is set to turn only 21-years-old this summer. He will earn $4.6 million in the third year of his rookie scale contract. New York will need to decide whether to exercise his fourth-year-option sometime before the 2020-21 league season begins.

It is expected that Rose will make his imprint on the Knicks roster sooner rather than later. It would be foolish to think he wouldn’t consider using Knox as a trade piece as he tries to build around a core that consists of Mitchell Robinson, RJ Barrett, and whoever the team selects in the upcoming draft.

It will be interesting to see if Kevin Knox works his way back into the team’s young core or finds a new home.