Report: Knicks coaches think Kevin Knox plays ‘soft’
Kevin Knox has had a sophomore season to forget with the New York Knicks, and his conservative style of play is apparently doing him no favors.
Marc Berman of the New York Post reported on Sunday that Knicks interim coach Mike Miller and his predecessor David Fizdale each thought the former No. 9 overall pick had a tendency to play “soft.” Berman also adds that Miller did not start Knox even after the team traded Marcus Morris Sr because he did not believe that Knox gave him the best chance to win games.
Indeed Knox, who is 6-foot-8 but just 215 pounds, is often passive on offense, settling for jumpers and generally shying away from contact. His resulting averages this season (6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game) are roughly half the output that he produced in his rookie campaign.
The good news for Knox is that he is still only 20. Berman also notes that the Knicks coaching staff is happy with his improved defense and that team brass considers Knox to be arguably the hardest-working player. Regardless though, Miller appears to be here to stay in New York, so the former Kentucky star will have to do more to win him over.