Evaluating Kevin Knox’s tenure with the New York Knicks

Evaluating Kevin Knox’s tenure with the New York Knicks: 2019-20 – Sophomore struggles

During Knox’s second season, the wheels began to fall off in a year the Knicks would end up on the outside looking in of The Bubble.

In 2019-20, Knox became a full-time bench player, relegated there from the previous season’s starter status. He also saw a drop in his playing time, to the tune of about 10 minutes per contest.

As a result, Knox’s counting stats dropped off a cliff. His scoring average was cut cleanly in half, from 12.8 points per game to 6.4 points per game. He also averaged only 2.8 rebounds per game and saw his assists drop below 1.0 per game, a mark he would never exceed again during his time with the team.

His shooting numbers also somehow got worse. He hit just 35.9 percent of his attempts, including 32.7 percent from three-point range. Knox also had his worst season at the free-throw line, knocking down only 65.3 percent of his attempts there.

He looked slightly better on the defensive end, improving his blocks per game and appearing more active on the court, but he was still prone to the same mental lapses he had as a rookie.

It just seemed as if the coaching staff didn’t trust Knox in big spots, hence the fewer minutes. At the beginning of the year, he was stuck behind Marcus Morris on the depth chart. By the end of the year, he was stuck behind Mo Harkless.

The Knicks still believed in Knox, as demonstrated by the team picking up his fourth-year option prior to the start of his third year with the team. The clock was beginning to tick, though.