New York Knicks: Four players who need a strong finish

2. Kevin Knox

When Kevin Knox was a rookie last season, he had some flashes as a lengthy forward who could shoot and make plays in transition. So naturally, it was expected that he would take that next step this season. Instead, this year has been nothing short of a disappointment for the former December 2018 Rookie of the Month.

There are many reasons why Knox’s production decreased this season. But the significant changes that inhibited Knox’s ability to grow this season was the drop in his playing time and usage rate.

According to Cleaning the Glass and Basketball-Reference, Knox went from averaging 28.8 minutes per game with a 20.9 percent usage rate his rookie season to 17.9 minutes per game and a 17.3 percent usage rate this season.

Some have rationalized that it made sense for Knox to have a drop in minutes and usage because he was not efficient during his rookie season.

However, with such a massive drop in playing time and usage, it was hard for Knox to find his footing. To get an idea of how difficult it was for Knox to be impactful, there were 26 games where he hit one bucket. There were just too many nights where Knox would just disappear.

In addition to Knox’s offense taking a hit, his defense was also highly concerning. There were just too many nights where he would lose his defender or be out of position.

Even with all of his woes, Knox showed glimpses that he could be a knockdown 3-pointer and attack the rim in the halfcourt and in transition.

As of now, Knox isn’t validating that he’s worth a lottery pick. He needs to finish the season strong to calm some nerves in the organization and fanbase. And for his sake, finishing the season on a high note will boost his confidence for his crucial third campaign.