Knicks Draft Bust Remains ‘Top Trade Candidate,’ Says Analyst

Kevin Knox II

Getty Kevin Knox II during a January 11 game against the Charlotte Hornets.

One by one, the greater agglomerate of past New York Knicks draft picks have made their way into the Big Apple, and subsequently out, typically within a few short seasons.

And now there’s some forward writing on the wall that suggests the same future for Kevin Knox, who they selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The 22-year old, firmly out of head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation, played just 42 games last season and has appeared in just one of three games this year.

Knox, despite often boasting a reliable three-point shot, hasn’t flashed any other NBA tangibles that justify his draft positioning or salary, which sits at $5.8-million for next season.

That’s exactly why league executives and HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto have pegged him as the New York Knicks “top trade candidate” for this season.


Knox the ‘Top Trade Candidate’

In his latest work for HoopsHype, Michael Scotto polled league executives to help identify the players who are most likely to be moved off of each NBA team.

When it came to the New York Knicks, the result was an unsurprising one: fourth-year forward Kevin Knox.

But, for what it’s worth, the one league executive Scotto spoke to didn’t rule out an NBA future for the 22-year old:

He’s got a specific skill set, and he has enough size. He just needs to be in the right situation. He doesn’t fit the Tom Thibodeau type of player.

Knox’s size has long been the argument for why he’d land elsewhere if made available on the free-agent market.

But given his $5.8-million salary for 2021-2022, don’t expect the Knicks to let him walk for nothing in return.

Instead, look for New York to attempt and send Knox to a rebuilding team in exchange for a veteran player, likely on an expiring contract or close to it.

And the name that makes the most sense found himself on the same list of trade candidates as Kevin Knox.


Terrence Ross to New York?

At last year’s trade deadline, the New York Knicks were tied to two Orlando Magic wings; Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross.

As you no doubt know by now, the former made his way to the Big Apple on a four-year, $78-million deal this summer.

Could his former teammate Ross be on the way next?

One league executive that Scotto spoke to was confident that the longtime proficient scorer will be traded soon:

He’ll be moved. They were trying to move him at the draft. They wanted to put him in a place where he could win. I think he’s worth a couple of second-round picks.

What better place than New York, where Ross could play the role of super sixth man for an Eastern Conference playoff team?

And what better time to make a play for the wing, after he torched the Knicks with 22 points in the fourth quarter of what became their first loss of the season?

According to StatMuse.com, Terrence Ross has averaged 11.9 points across 29 career matchups against the Knicks.

For the price of one Kevin Knox, and perhaps a second-round pick, he’d be a worthy pickup ahead of the 2022 playoffs.

Even if only to keep him out of play for other teams, given his continual knack for abusing the New York Knicks.

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