Fort Knox: A defense of Kevin Knox

[IllmaticHandler]

Also for the record I was not speaking on giving up on Knox. I was saying I understand peoples frustrations with him today. Its why I used Frank. If Frank turns it around at 23 I would not be mad at a person that was was disappointed in his play in 2019.

[KOA]

The comparisons in this thread are ridiculous.

Julius Randle? Guy was a double double machine and asked the lakers to renounce his rights when they were going to get Lebron James.

D'Angelo Russell? He was averaging 16 ppg (on decent shooting percentages), 4 rpg, 5 apg before the lakers traded him because of his bad attitude and trouble in the locker room presence. Talent was never in question.

Victor Oladipo? Again his talent was never in questions. Averaged 16 ppg (on good shooting percentages, 5 rpg, and 4 apg. The magic got screwed in that trade big-time. Literally NO ONE at that time thought it was a good deal for the magic.

We are talking about Kevin Knox here. He's supposed to be a good scorer since he adds literally nothing else to the game while he's on the court. The fact is that he is an awful chucker. Through 52 games hes shooting an astounding 36% from the field. This coming from a guy who is 6'9". He's basically trying to shoot himself into a Tim Hardaway type of contract if he ever is able to get hot. It's one thing to give up on someone who shows promise. It's another to give up on someone who show's no skill-set, a **** attitude, and no motor. This is the same guy who told Zion that he should switch to Pumas after he got injured. He does not deserve to wear a Knicks jersey...

[Thugger HBC]

I don't see how some of you guys are comfortable killing a 19 year old. I hope you guys are aware the NBA is gonna lift that 1 and done rule again.

[robillionaire]

The comparisons in this thread are ridiculous.

Julius Randle? Guy was a double double machine and asked the lakers to renounce his rights when they were going to get Lebron James.

D'Angelo Russell? He was averaging 16 ppg (on decent shooting percentages), 4 rpg, 5 apg before the lakers traded him because of his bad attitude and trouble in the locker room presence. Talent was never in question.

Victor Oladipo? Again his talent was never in questions. Averaged 16 ppg (on good shooting percentages, 5 rpg, and 4 apg. The magic got screwed in that trade big-time. Literally NO ONE at that time thought it was a good deal for the magic.

We are talking about Kevin Knox here. He's supposed to be a good scorer since he adds literally nothing else to the game while he's on the court. The fact is that he is an awful chucker. Through 52 games hes shooting an astounding 36% from the field. This coming from a guy who is 6'9". He's basically trying to shoot himself into a Tim Hardaway type of contract if he ever is able to get hot. It's one thing to give up on someone who shows promise. It's another to give up on someone who show's no skill-set, a **** attitude, and no motor. This is the same guy who told Zion that he should switch to Pumas after he got injured. He does not deserve to wear a Knicks jersey...

Randle and Oladipo weren’t even in the nba when they were 19, oladipo at 19 was scoring 10ppg in college and still had 2 more years before he even saw an nba uniform and Russell looked like a bust when he was 19 on the lakers

[Buttah304]

The comparisons in this thread are ridiculous.

Julius Randle? Guy was a double double machine and asked the lakers to renounce his rights when they were going to get Lebron James.

D'Angelo Russell? He was averaging 16 ppg (on decent shooting percentages), 4 rpg, 5 apg before the lakers traded him because of his bad attitude and trouble in the locker room presence. Talent was never in question.

Victor Oladipo? Again his talent was never in questions. Averaged 16 ppg (on good shooting percentages, 5 rpg, and 4 apg. The magic got screwed in that trade big-time. Literally NO ONE at that time thought it was a good deal for the magic.

We are talking about Kevin Knox here. He's supposed to be a good scorer since he adds literally nothing else to the game while he's on the court. The fact is that he is an awful chucker. Through 52 games hes shooting an astounding 36% from the field. This coming from a guy who is 6'9". He's basically trying to shoot himself into a Tim Hardaway type of contract if he ever is able to get hot. It's one thing to give up on someone who shows promise. It's another to give up on someone who show's no skill-set, a **** attitude, and no motor. This is the same guy who told Zion that he should switch to Pumas after he got injured. He does not deserve to wear a Knicks jersey...

This is an unbelievably aggressive post. He’s not on the last year of his rookie contract. Kid is the 2nd youngest player in the NBA. Let him go through the ups and downs of an 82 game season without eviscerating him.

[robillionaire]

Some of y’all act like he fd your moms or something

[KOA]

This is an unbelievably aggressive post. He’s not on the last year of his rookie contract. Kid is the 2nd youngest player in the NBA. Let him go through the ups and downs of an 82 game season without eviscerating him.

I get taking the ups with the downs. But have you really seen him exhibit any upside? That is a serious question...

We have many nice young players. Knox is not one of them.
I'd rather get rid of him while he might still have some value to someone who see's youth as potential.

Don't get me wrong, you can be young and have potential; but it's very evident that Knox does not fit into this category. He does not set good screens for his teammates, he does not pass to the open man, he does not put forth any effort on defense despite his long frame, he does not box out or use his height to secure rebounds, and he does not exhibit any intangibles. If he was at least semi-efficient at scoring, you may say he has some potential as a scoring presence off the bench. Half of his shots are 3 pointers and he's not very good at making them.

Yes he is 19 and yes players can improve with age. But when you have this many deficiencies and you are not seeing ANY signs of improvement while hes averaging close to 30 mpg through 50+ games in a season, then that is a VERY troubling sign.

[KnicksGadfly]

The offense is gonna suck these season...I've accepted that. I'm focusing more on Knox's other stats more. Boards, for example. No way he should have these passive rebounding games./

[camillepd]

Today was a great game for Knox, got a double double, rebounded well.

[Icandoallthings]

I didnt see it but from what i read he put in a strong effort which is great to see. Hopefully this is the start of a turn around.

[GimmeDat]

A lot of people knocked Knox, at least relative to the hype he was getting pre-draft, because of a lot of the issues I can see KOA has mentioned above, which were glossed over by others in favour of the tools/upside argument.

And by all means, he has those tools, and as one of the youngest guys in the draft, you had to draft him with the understanding that he was going to come in with these flaws and the hope that you can carve him in to a better player over the next few years. So if the Knicks are already to give up on him, then they didn't know what they were getting themselves into when they drafted him.

I don't expect high level feel in his future, but I think realistic hope for development is in the shooting %'s (3 needs to be above average, but in particular the 2pt% cannot be at 38%), and improved defense and general motor. He does those things and he can be a handy floor spacing 4 man.. because his tools as a shooter out of college were really impressive for his size. But he's going to be a perennial underachiever so long as his effort and feel remain so poor, and all the talk pre-draft process of him being misutilized and having an on-ball game was clearly fools gold imo.

Look, in comparison, to Ntilikina. The production is not there, but at least he plays hard, does the little winning things, and has a solid feel for the game and an unselfish attitude. Talent/tools and IQ/effort are two halves of the coin and you're not going to have a super successful player without both aspects, but I would have more hope in a guy like Frank developing his skill level than a guy like Knox changing more intrinsic on-court qualities of himself.

[NYKAL]

I don't see how some of you guys are comfortable killing a 19 year old. I hope you guys are aware the NBA is gonna lift that 1 and done rule again.

guys keep pointing to the fact that he's 19 but, ignore the fact that he's been a pro for 3years now, going back to Euro play where he played alongside grown men whereas guys like Knox played against other kids.. He should not be as raw as he still is and, I do not believe you can coach personality which, I believe if part of his problem.

That said, I still like Frank and what he brings to the team and believe he is smart and capable enough to actually benefit from being an actual position less player since the team just plays better when he's on the floor with a lead guard. I'd run him at the 2 with Dot.

Even at the 3, the team would still benefit from having another ball handler on the floor who can make the right pass. He can cover multiple position and knows when to switch and when not to. If he improves his cutting with his size and length, he could be really dangerous.

[Greenie]

I don't see how some of you guys are comfortable killing a 19 year old. I hope you guys are aware the NBA is gonna lift that 1 and done rule again.

And if they are in the NBA playing like trash then it will be said as well.

This ain’t high school or college. You’re being PAID to play.

[malik959]

The comparisons in this thread are ridiculous.

Julius Randle? Guy was a double double machine and asked the lakers to renounce his rights when they were going to get Lebron James.

D'Angelo Russell? He was averaging 16 ppg (on decent shooting percentages), 4 rpg, 5 apg before the lakers traded him because of his bad attitude and trouble in the locker room presence. Talent was never in question.

Victor Oladipo? Again his talent was never in questions. Averaged 16 ppg (on good shooting percentages, 5 rpg, and 4 apg. The magic got screwed in that trade big-time. Literally NO ONE at that time thought it was a good deal for the magic.

We are talking about Kevin Knox here. He's supposed to be a good scorer since he adds literally nothing else to the game while he's on the court. The fact is that he is an awful chucker. Through 52 games hes shooting an astounding 36% from the field. This coming from a guy who is 6'9". He's basically trying to shoot himself into a Tim Hardaway type of contract if he ever is able to get hot. It's one thing to give up on someone who shows promise. It's another to give up on someone who show's no skill-set, a **** attitude, and no motor. This is the same guy who told Zion that he should switch to Pumas after he got injured. He does not deserve to wear a Knicks jersey...

They were brought up because their teams gave up on them similar to some of you are giving up on Knox. They averaged pretty much on par with Knox's rookie stats with 13ppg. Knox has averaged less turnovers and fouls. Randle didn't play his first year, second year he scored 11ppg but was a rebounding monster. Luckily a lot of players, coaches, and media like the kids potential because if they read real Gm he would be gone instead of Timmy.

[dakomish23]

None of the people who defended the win now decisions made last summer & during last season should be bashing Knox.

These shortsighted trash decisions led to us having a later pick and not being at the top part of the draft where we should have been, specifically to get a certain someone who would have been a perfect fit next to KP and filled a huge need for our core.

You got what you wanted. Save that bullchit for the rodeo.

[E-Balla]

I've been telling y'all about Knox since he was in college. All you had to do was watch him to see these glaring issues. Only NY would reach to take him.

[E-Balla]

None of the people who defended the win now decisions made last summer & during last season should be bashing Knox.

These shortsighted trash decisions led to us having a later pick and not being at the top part of the draft where we should have been, specifically to get a certain someone who would have been a perfect fit next to KP and filled a huge need for our core.

You got what you wanted. Save that bullchit for the rodeo.

Mikal Bridges got picked one pick after Knox and is 10 times better. Not being at the top of the draft wasn't the problem, drafting the worst player in the lottery was. We drafted the 3rd best Kentucky player in the draft. No one wanted that.

[Spree2Houston]

None of the people who defended the win now decisions made last summer & during last season should be bashing Knox.

These shortsighted trash decisions led to us having a later pick and not being at the top part of the draft where we should have been, specifically to get a certain someone who would have been a perfect fit next to KP and filled a huge need for our core.

You got what you wanted. Save that bullchit for the rodeo.

Mikal Bridges got picked one pick after Knox and is 10 times better. Not being at the top of the draft wasn't the problem, drafting the worst player in the lottery was. We drafted the 3rd best Kentucky player in the draft. No one wanted that.

Knox DESTROYED both the Bridges in the workouts though

[Gravy]

None of the people who defended the win now decisions made last summer & during last season should be bashing Knox.

These shortsighted trash decisions led to us having a later pick and not being at the top part of the draft where we should have been, specifically to get a certain someone who would have been a perfect fit next to KP and filled a huge need for our core.

You got what you wanted. Save that bullchit for the rodeo.

Mikal Bridges got picked one pick after Knox and is 10 times better. Not being at the top of the draft wasn't the problem, drafting the worst player in the lottery was. We drafted the 3rd best Kentucky player in the draft. No one wanted that.

Mikal got benched a few days ago, is he really doing that well? I guess we'll get a closer look next week.

[E-Balla]

None of the people who defended the win now decisions made last summer & during last season should be bashing Knox.

These shortsighted trash decisions led to us having a later pick and not being at the top part of the draft where we should have been, specifically to get a certain someone who would have been a perfect fit next to KP and filled a huge need for our core.

You got what you wanted. Save that bullchit for the rodeo.

Mikal Bridges got picked one pick after Knox and is 10 times better. Not being at the top of the draft wasn't the problem, drafting the worst player in the lottery was. We drafted the 3rd best Kentucky player in the draft. No one wanted that.

Knox DESTROYED both the Bridges in the workouts though

And they outplayed him over 30-40 games in college and in the NBA so far. Only the Knicks would draft a player off one workout. He wasn't even projected to be in the lottery until New York showed interest in him and he started getting mocked to NY.

Mikal got benched a few days ago, is he really doing that well? I guess we'll get a closer look next week.

Phoenix benched him because their coach wanted to try Oubre in the starting 5. It hasn't worked out well but Mikal is also going through a rough stretch now. He's still efficient and a very good defender as a rookie. He'll be about Robert Covington level going forward it seems.