Knicks' Kevin Knox on Trade Rumors: 'I’m Just Worried About Getting in the Rotation'

The New York Knicks selected Kevin Knox II with the ninth overall pick in 2018, but he has not lived up to his potential.

Now in the final year of his rookie contract, Knox has been the subject of trade rumors, and it's unclear whether he has a future in New York. The 22-year-old forward told Marc Berman of the New York Post on Sunday that he is not worried about the rumors and he's focused on contributing this upcoming season.

"So I’m really not worried about the trades and everything else," Knox said. "I’m just worried about getting in the rotation and being on the court."

During the 2020-21 campaign, Knox had his playing time cut substantially. He averaged 11.0 minutes per game, down from 17.9 in his sophomore season. He managed to shoot a career-high 39.3 percent from three-point range, but he averaged just 3.9 points.

Knox seemed to have fallen out of favor with head coach Tom Thibodeau, who was named Coach of the Year in his first season in New York. Thibodeau is known for his hard-nosed coaching style and his emphasis on defensive effort, and Knox knows he has to improve on that end of the floor:

"[Thibodeau] really preaches if your shot’s not going in or having a bad shooting day, what else can you bring to the team?," Knox said. "For myself, using my length, using my height and my body to really focus on rebounding and defending on the other end. I really feel I can guard 1-to-4. That’s what he really wants to see from me — locking in on that end."

"He knows what I can do on the offensive end. He wants to see that defensive energy, the rebounding and really flying in transition and using my length all over the court."

The 6'9" Knox still has the potential to become a rotation player. But he missed this year's summer league after being diagnosed with COVID-19, and that has hindered his progression this offseason.

Despite the setback, Knox is bringing a positive outlook into training camp.

"That’s my mindset going into camp. Really working hard for my minutes, working hard to get into the rotation," he said. "That’s my motivation—to play hard on both sides of the basketball court if I really want to be on the court."

Knox will likely be competing with explosive second-year forward Obi Toppin and veteran Taj Gibson during the preseason. The Knicks will face the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden in their first preseason game Tuesday.