I wonder if this is what Knox needed to develop properly. Instead of the huge minutes and huge role he got in his rookie year, he’s now got a reduced role where he’s not asked to do more than he’s capable of. His numbers still don’t look great, and the jury’s still out as to whether he’ll live up to his draft position, but I feel like he’s got a better chance to succeed now than he did a year ago.
One of the main things helping Knox out right now is that Julius Randle has assumed the “power forward who handles the ball too much, takes a lot of long jumpers that he can’t make, commits silly turnovers due to having a higher estimation of his own skill than is present in reality, and receives the ire of the entire fanbase” role that Knox had his rookie year. This has allowed Knox to average more assists than turnovers (the opposite was the case his first season) and not take so many long two-point jumpers.
By the way, take a look at this shot chart from his rookie season. Is that field of red in the midrange not the most disgusting thing you’ve ever seen? https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/knoxke01/shooting/2019
I know some Knicks fans were already giving up on Knox after his disappointing rookie season, but I hope that they have gotten back on his side so that when he really turns out to be a big plate of bustaroni and cheese, they can have the primal joy and satisfaction of turning on him a second time.