Kevin Knox

Knicks keep their faith in Knox: ‘I want to prove a lot of people wrong’

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New York Knicks, Kevin Knox

Despite an underwhelming sophomore season for Kevin Knox, the New York Knicks have remained committed to the former lottery pick.

Knox, who shot a dreadful 36 percent overall last season, has been criticized for his low motor. The former Kentucky star is eager to turn the corner and finally break out in the NBA.

He’s brimming with confidence, which emanates from the full backing he’s been getting from the Knicks.

“The whole coaching staff, the whole organization really has a lot of faith in me. They’ve really been pushing me all summer. Coach has really been reaching out,” Knox said on his zoom call Tuesday.

This echoed former Knick Steve Novak’s sentiment earlier in the day on MSG A.M.

“I think the guy with the Knicks that you really need to watch this year, going into his third year, is Kevin Knox,” Novak said. “I know there are a lot of new names, a lot of new faces, and a lot of potentials, with a lot of the roster – Obi Toppin being picked, great selection. But to me, Kevin Knox is in his third year. Coach Thibs has been in Kevin Knox’s ear all summer long since he signed with the New York Knicks.

“And it sounds like they’ve made him a priority. So he is a guy who has the potential to make that leap and improve and help this New York Knicks team. I think if he can have a solid year, he can really help the Knicks.”

Training camp star

Thibodeau has been effusive in his praise for the third-year forward when he mentioned that Knox had been impressive in the first two days of the training camp.

“I hope he can sustain that over a long period of time. Looking at the shots that he had taken last year, the ones that he took which I would quantify as good shots, he made those,” Thibodeau said.

“When Kevin Knox takes good shots, he’s going to make them. He’s put a lot of time into his shooting. I think he’s gotten stronger. But he’s got to continue to work. And if he does that, Kevin Knox will be fine.”

Aside from focusing on his conditioning, Knox has trained with sought-after shooting coach Chris Matthews. Known as Lethal Shooter on social media, Matthews has helped improve the shooting mechanics of the likes of NBA big men Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis, and WNBA stars Candace Parker and Skylar-Diggins Smith, among others.

Shot of confidence

Knox got a shot of confidence when the Knicks brought in Kenny Payne as an assistant coach. Payne has always been in his corner since his one-and-done season with the Wildcats.

Aside from Payne, the Knicks have added a slew of coaches who have a strong background in player development.

“As much as possible, I’m really getting a lot of work with different coaches that we have on our staff,” Knox said.

“It definitely feels great to have the organization behind my back. I just really want to go out there this year and prove a lot of people wrong. Just go out there and play hard and just really win games.”

The Knicks’ reluctance to include Knox in a package that would’ve gotten them All-Star point guard Chris Paul was the first sign that they are fully invested in the 2018 ninth overall pick.

Knox likes the makeup of this Knicks team better than last year, when Steve Mills signed a glut of veteran forwards that buried Knox on the bench.

“Last year, we brought in a lot of new guys. So it was kind of stuff adjusting to the new players. But I think this year, we really did a good job of bringing some veteran guys who will really help the young guys,” Knox said.

Run and gun Knicks

Knox already saw a glimpse of what the future holds for him and the Knicks at practice, with Thibodeau imploring them to run and take advantage of their athleticism.

“I think the way that coach really wants us to play this year is really fast. We’re so young, and we got a lot of athleticism, so he really wants us to fly up and down the court, which is really different than last year,” Knox said.

Thibodeau has yet to settle with his rotation opting to dedicate the first part of the training camp to fundamentals before moving to team schemes. But Knox said they already have a sense of how Thibodeau will roll them out this season.

“Everyone on the team knows their role. We had a couple of days of good practice. Just the flow of practice, everyone really knows how they gonna play this year,” he said.

Knox said Thibodeau has already told him what he needs to do to make great strides this season.

“He just really wants me to be aggressive, rebound the ball defensively, push the ball on the break, make plays knock the open shots, be aggressive, and get to the basket,” Knox said. 

Thibodeau’s message to him was obvious.

Play with a high motor.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

New York Knicks: Kevin Knox enters make-or-break season

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New York Knicks, Kevin Knox

Kevin Knox must have heaved a sigh of relief after Gordon Hayward decided to go to the Charlotte Hornets rather than to the New York Knicks.

Knox dodged a bullet there.

With no Hayward, Knox has a clearer path to earning a significant role under new head coach Tom Thibodeau with only veterans Reggie Bullock, Alec Burks, and 2019 second-round pick Ignas Brazdeikis crowding him for minutes in the small forward position.

But Knox has to earn and work for it, according to Tom Thibodeau, whose win-now mentality doesn’t bode well for a young and inconsistent player like the version of Knox we have seen in his first two seasons in the league.

Knox hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations after he was picked ahead of the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michael Porter, Jr. — two players who have exceeded their draft positions — in the 2018 NBA Draft.

After he was showcased in his rookie year, averaging 12.8 points in 28.8 minutes per game, Knox’s minutes and consequently his performance dropped to 6.9 points in just 17.9 minutes as David Fizdale coached for his job last season.

Knox’s confidence hit rock-bottom.

Knocking on Thib’s door

Despite Knox’s lackluster sophomore year, the Knicks’ new front office hasn’t given up on the former lottery pick and wanted to give him his fair shake.

They brought Kenny Payne, Knox’s biggest supporter in his corner during his lone season at Kentucky.

“Kevin Knox, let’s see how good he can be and that’s why you want a Kenny Payne with you,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said recently.

Before Payne came to the Knicks as one of their new assistant coaches, Knox has also worked out with renowned shooting coach Chris Matthews, known as Lethal Shooter on social media.

Add Camden High School coach Rick Brunson to the list of player development coaches who have worked out Knox.

Brunson, Thibodeau’s assistant during his brief stop at Minnesota and Leon Rose’s first client as an NBA agent, has worked out Knox in South Jersey along with Knicks’ rookies Obi Toppin and Myles Powell ahead of this year’s draft.

All signs point to Knox making a leap next season. Whether that will be big enough to keep him in New York or be sent somewhere else is up to him.

The Knicks still view him as a valuable piece of their young core.

For instance, take their reluctance to send Knox to Oklahoma City Thunder in a package that could have netted them All-Star point guard Chris Paul as another sign.

But this doesn’t mean Knox is completely off the hook.

Next season, his team option will be crucial to the Knicks’ plan of opening up a $70 million cap space, which is good for two max slots. 

If Knox finally breaks out, then the Knicks won’t have a hard time picking up his team option.

But if not, it’s time to pack up.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Report: Chris Paul trade offer on Knicks’ table; Bobby Marks believes he’s not a ‘salary dump’

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New York Knicks, chris paul

Chris Paul and the New York Knicks have been linked to each other ever since James Dolan hired the Oklahoma City All-Star guard’s former agent at Creative Artists Agency, Leon Rose, as his new team president.

The rumor mill heated up on Monday when Jonathan Macri of the Knicks Film School reported that the 35-year old Paul prefers to wind up his career either in New York or Los Angeles.

“I’ve been told by a league source that Chris Paul prefers his next basketball home to be either in LA or NY (Los Angeles is where he resides full time) and that has created some modicum of leverage in the ongoing negotiations between the sides. I’m also told that there is a deal on the table that is comfortable from Sam Presti’s perspective, and the ball is in Leon Rose’s court,” Macri wrote in his newsletter.

The Thunder is believed to have been shopping Paul since he was acquired from the Houston Rockets a year ago in the Russell Westbrook trade. But league executives thought, at that time, that Paul’s massive contract had been the biggest stumbling block in negotiations.

Even the Knicks reportedly turned down a Houston Rockets’ offer centering on Paul before he was shipped to the Thunder. The Knicks’ stance has since changed upon Rose’s arrival.

Paul is owed $85 million over the next two years — $41 million next season (almost 38 percent of the salary cap if it stays flatly at $109 million) and has a $44 million player option the following year.

The Knicks are one of the only four teams with massive cap space to absorb such a contract.

The Thunder are motivated to unload Paul’s contract after they had the third-highest payroll in the league last season. They have recently parted ways with long-time coach Billy Donovan signaling a rebuilding will soon hit the ground running in Oklahoma.

Ian Begley of SNY earlier reported that the Knicks are willing to absorb undesirable contracts to acquire an asset. Still, Paul, despite his age and massive salary, doesn’t belong in that category, according to ESPN’s Front Office Insider Bobby Marks.

The former Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager-turned NBA insider believes the Knicks won’t acquire extra assets if they trade for Paul.

“I see teams having to give up something of value,” Marks told Empire Sports Media. “He’s not a salary dump.”

Presti is banking on Paul’s solid showing last season as leverage in the negotiation table.

Paul led the Thunder to the first round of the playoffs, pushing the Rockets to seven games. The 10-time NBA All-Star averaged 17.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game in 70 games, the most he’s played in a season since 2015-16.

Early in September, a rumored trade involving the Knicks’ young players and future picks has been lined up according to Heavy.com’s Scoop B.

 

Rose and his front office have to think hard about how much they are willing to pay to acquire an All-Star who is about to enter the tail end of his career.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

LaMelo Ball joins Knicks’ RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox at Puma

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New York Knicks, Lamelo Ball

LaMelo Ball has spurned his father LaVar’s Big Baller Brand and instead signed with Puma. He became the first of the Ball brothers to sign an exclusive shoe deal outside of the family patriarch’s infamous shoe and apparel brand.

A projected top-three pick in the coming NBA Draft, Ball has joined a long list of young and dynamic roster of Puma ambassadors which include New York Knicks’ duo of RJ Barrett and Kevin Knox, Phoenix Suns’ DeAndre Ayton, Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma, and Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter, Jr.

“Puma’s been making waves since their comeback to basketball, not just on the court but for the culture,” Ball told Complex Sports. “They’re doing big things and are the new wave of hoops.”

Ball sported J. Cole’s signature shoe R-Dreamer in his Puma photoshoot. Ball is expected to have his own signature shoe as Puma is deadset on reviving their basketball brand since multi-awarded rapper and music producer Jay-Z’s appointment as creative consultant.

Image courtesy of Puma

Ball earlier noted that he has spoken to the Knicks, the only team that is confirmed to have interviewed him so far.

The NBA will allow teams to conduct in-person meetings which includes medical evaluation and workout with 2020 Draft prospects from Oct. 16 to Nov. 16. The month-long Draft Combine process will allow teams to receive up to two visits per player and no more than 10 total among prospects according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Ball, however, has withdrawn himself from the Draft Combine, curiously, a day after he spilled his interview with the Knicks during his media availability.

The Knicks currently have the No. 8 pick in the lottery but the top two teams — Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 1) and Golden State Warriors (No. 2) — have not discounted the possibility of trading their picks.

The Warriors are reportedly enamored with Florida State’s Devin Vassell, one of the Knicks’ options at No. 8.

It’s going to be a huge win for Puma in the event that Ball, somehow, lands in a big market such as New York.

New York Knicks: Kevin Knox will have to earn playing time

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New York Knicks, Kevin Knox

Nothing is given.  Everything is earned.

That’s how Kevin Knox‘s life under new head coach Tom Thibodeau.

The former lottery pick has started to come along in the New York Knicks‘ Bubble-like organized team activity thanks to the culture of accountability that Thibodeau has set.

“I think the first step is preparation.  That’s where you get your confidence from.  How he practices every day that will allow him to continue to develop.  He’s played very well here. He shot the ball very well.  He’s put a lot of time into that,” Thibodeau said of Knox’s performance in the Knicks’ Bubble.

Knox was oozing with potential when he was selected as the ninth pick in the 2018 Draft ahead of the likes of his Kentucky teammate Shia Gilgeous-Alexander, and Michael Porter, Jr.

Those three players who were picked after him have made great strides, while Knox has yet to pan out after a promising rookie season. The 21-year old Knox was hounded by inconsistencies and got buried on the bench in his sophomore year. That killed whatever momentum he has built in his rookie year as his confidence dipped.

“I think it’s the same thing.  I think there’s been ups and downs for him.  Hopefully, he continues to learn from those experiences,” Thibodeau said.

With the new Knicks front office zeroing in on player development, Knox has been rejuvenated, especially with the arrival of former Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne. But even with Payne now on his corner, Thibodeau has made it clear that Knox has to earn his minutes.

“Everything will be based on performance.  It’s how you practice first.  You have to practice well with the team before you can begin to talk about playing time.  And when you’re playing in the game, everything will be based on performance,” Thibodeau said.

It’s a make-or-break year for Knox, who has been the subject of trade rumors. Thibodeau’s message is clear: shape up or get shipped out.

New York Knicks: Tom Thibodeau and Kevin Knox in getting-to-know-you phase

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New York Knicks, Kevin Knox

The New York Knicks have moved to their own version of the “The Delete 8 Bubble” in the second phase of the league-mandated organized team activities. And new head coach Tom Thibodeau has started to acquaint himself with his new team, particularly his young players.

Thibodeau is inheriting a young roster with underachieving former lottery picks. One of them is former Kentucky Wildcat Kevin Knox, who is coming off an underwhelming sophomore season and whose name has been floated around in trade rumors.

“Kevin’s come in and he’s done quite a bit of work. I’m getting to know him and he’s getting to know me and it will take some time. But I like what he’s done so far,” Thibodeau said during yesterday’s zoom call with New York media.

Knox regressed in his second year after a promising rookie season. His scoring dropped from 12.8 to 6.4 points. He played sporadically during the Knicks’ tumultuous season, which saw David Fizdale getting fired, that led to a major organizational revamp.

Under new team president Leon Rose‘s leadership, the Knicks have plucked Kenny Payne out of Kentucky to join the team as an assistant coach and help revive Knox’s career.

“Yeah, and not just with Kevin, but with all the players,’’ Thibodeau said of Payne’s role. “I’ve known John Calipari a long time and every year I would get Kenny’s input on all the draft candidates. I always thought he was very insightful and he knew the players extremely well. So I thought when we had the opportunity to get him, that just made a lot of sense on a lot of different levels.”

Thibodeau and the Knicks hope Payne could parlay those relationships into on-court success.

Payne has built a reputation as a player’s whisperer back in Kentucky.  Under his guidance, Kentucky was able to produce future NBA top picks and future league stars in Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, and Tyler Herro, among others.

“Kenny is someone I’ve always talked to over the years about the upcoming draft, but I never really saw him teaching on the floor, but I had heard great things about him,” Thibodeau added.

Now that Thibodeau saw first-hand how Payne teaches in great detail, there’s a prevailing hope that Knox would be able to turn the corner in his make-or-break third season in the league. But he was quick to temper any unwarranted expectations that he and his staff would unlock Knox’s potential or anyone from the team overnight.

“There’s no magic formula where you gonna get everything done in one day. I think it’s about establishing and building the right habits to be successful. So you put in the foundation of an offensive and defensive system and how are you gonna go about your business. I think it’s all about building the right habits so the team can improve and get better as time goes on,” Thibodeau said.

Trade Rumor: Knicks offer for Chris Paul include Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina

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New York Knicks, chris paul

The New York Knicks are reportedly preparing a trade package centered on two of their young players plus assets in their bid to land Oklahoma City Thunder’s All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson of Heavy.com reported that the Knicks have initially lined up Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina, the 2021 first-round pick from Dallas Mavericks, the 2021 second-round pick from Charlotte Hornets plus Elfrid Payton and Bobby Portis as salary fillers.

While this is an underwhelming package compared to what Oklahoma City has received in the Paul George trade, the expiring deals of both Payton and Portis will give the Thunder the cap relief they are seeking.  On top of that, they will also have two former lottery picks to add to their young core and extra Draft capital.

The Knicks’ front office, led by Paul’s former agent Leon Rose, view the 10-time All-Star as a culture-builder, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

Even at 35, Paul managed to show he’s still one of the top point guards in the league after leading the young Thunder core to 44 wins and went one play away from advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

Paul’s remaining $85-million salary and injury history comes with a risk. But it is a gamble the Knicks are reportedly willing to take to fast-track their rebuild.

If Paul moves to New York, he is expected to mentor Dennis Smith, Jr. the same way he did to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma.

The Knicks, however, will face stiff competition for Paul’s services from several playoff contenders. The list include the Milwaukee Bucks, who are facing mounting pressure to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo following another dismal playoff exit.  The ownership promised Antetokounmpo that they are willing to go over the luxury tax to surround him with a championship-caliber cast.  The reigning MVP has Paul in his wishlist.

And it seems the feeling is mutual.

It is an open secret around the league that Paul’s stay in Oklahoma City will be short-lived when he was traded from the Houston Rockets. And as early as last year, the veteran guard has been linked to the Bucks.

“I had heard he wanted to go to Milwaukee,” The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo said on Adrian Wojnarowski’s The Woj Pod. “Of course you’d want to go play with Giannis.”

In a video posted following their Bubble exit, Paul said Thunder GM Sam Presti was straightforward since Day One and that he doesn’t know what the future holds. It’s an ominous sign that he may have played his last game as a Thunder.

Presti has a history of working out favorable trade destinations for their stars in Oklahoma with George going to the Los Angeles Clippers and Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets. It remains to be seen if Paul would request the same, but it is the most logical thing to do at this stage of his career.

New York Knicks: Kevin Knox, Julius Randle react to Kenny Payne hire

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New York Knicks, Kevin Knox

The New York Knicks are assembling a coaching staff for their new head coach, Tom Thibodeau. Tuesday morning the team announced it hired Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne to join Thibodeau’s staff. Payne is the first official hire for Thibodeau’s coaching staff.

Payne was an assistant for the Oregon Ducks under head coach Ernie Kent from 2004-09. He joined John Calipari’s coaching staff at Kentucky in 2010, where he spent 10 seasons. Payne coached a plethora of lottery selections at Kentucky who panned out to be reliable NBA starters and/or All-Stars.

Some players who worked with Payne include but aren’t limited to: Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, De’Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyler Herro. Meanwhile, the Knicks have two players who played at Kentucky under Payne: Kevin Knox and Julius Randle.

Knox and Randle tweeted positively about Payne in the wake of him joining the organization on Tuesday.

Knox played for the Wildcats in the 2017-18 college basketball season. He averaged 15.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, which helped him get selected ninth by the Knicks in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The forward is two years into his NBA career. Last season he averaged 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Randle played for the Wildcats in the 2013-14 college basketball season. He averaged 15.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, which helped him get selected seventh by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2014 NBA Draft.

The big man is entering the second season of a three-year, $62 million deal with the Knicks. Last season he averaged 19.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.

Former Knicks head coach Mike Woodson and 2020 interim head coach Mike Miller are reported candidates to join Thibodeau’s coaching staff.

The Knicks own two first-round draft picks and their own second rounder in the upcoming NBA Draft and could carry as much as $60 million in cap space into free agency.

New York Knicks: Tom Thibodeau praises team’s young core

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett

The New York Knicks announced on Thursday morning that they hired Tom Thibodeau to be their new head coach.

In his introductory press conference, Thibodeau expressed optimism about youngsters RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson (quotes per Marc Berman of the New York Post).

“I want to get around the players to work with them and get to know them better,” Thibodeau said. “Based on film, I really think RJ has a very bright future as does Mitchell Robinson. Those are two who stand out. But we have a lot of young talent. I don’t like to make qualifications on people until I get around them.”

The Knicks selected Barrett with the third pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke University. Across 56 games, 55 of which were starts in his rookie season the wing averaged 14.3 points, five rebounds, 2.6 assists, and one steal per game. Robinson, who the Knicks selected with the 36th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, averaged 9.7 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game while shooting an NBA-record 74.2 percent from the field last season.

Thibodeau feels that Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox, who are each former first-round draft picks of the organization, are “young guys that have talent.”

“With Frank and Kevin, they’re both young guys that have talent,” Thibodeau said. “That being said, I’m not making any real observations until I get to be around them. Like most young players, there are growing pains you go through and there’s steps players have to take. Sometimes we measure guys against guys already established and you forget the steps those guys have to take to get to where they are. It’s an important part of it. Understand how you get there is work, sacrifice and commitment. One’s determination and perseverance is critical to their development.”

Ntilikina and Knox have been in and out of the Knicks starting lineup over their respective NBA careers. For his career, Ntilikina is averaging six points, 3.1 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game, whereas Knox is averaging 9.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Thibodeau is the 31st head coach in franchise history. He takes over after the team fired David Fizdale in December 2019 and finished the season with interim Mike Miller. President Steve Mills was fired in February and replaced by former agent Leon Rose.

Under Rose, the Knicks have made a slew of front-office maneuvers which include hiring William Wesley (executive vice president/senior basketball advisor) and Walt Perrin (assistant general manager) and retaining Scott Perry as general manager.

New York Knicks: Leon Rose lauds team’s young core

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett

New York Knicks president Leon Rose was interviewed by MSG Networks’ Mike Breen Wednesday night on the “MSG 150 At Home.” The interview marked the first time Rose spoke publicly/virtually since joining the organization in February.

Among the many topics discussed were the team’s roster, which includes several young players and/or lottery selections. Rose said RJ Barrett, the Knicks’ 2019 first-round pick, and Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks’ 2018 second-round pick, are “two young core pieces.”

Barrett averaged 14.3 points, five rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from beyond the arc this season. Robinson averaged 9.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and two blocks per game while shooting an NBA-best 74.2 percent from the field.

Rose expressed excitement about some of the team’s other young players.

“I look forward to working with Kevin [Knox]. I think he’s just starting to scratch the surface,” Rose said. “Frank Ntilikina, given the right circumstances, I think can really prosper. And Dennis Smith, that’s a special talent right there.”

Knox, the Knicks’ 2018 first-round pick, averaged 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 35.9 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Ntilikina, the Knicks’ 2017 first-round pick, averaged 6.3 points and three assists per game while shooting 39.3 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Smith, acquired as part of the Knicks’ return in last season’s trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, averaged 5.5 points and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 34.1 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Rose also referred to Julius Randle, who just finished the first season of a three-year, $63 million deal, as one of “some solid veterans” likely returning for the 2020-21 NBA season. Randle averaged 19.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 27.7 percent from beyond the arc.