New York Knicks: 5 recent Knicks players who were heavily underrated

Steve Novak

This man was included in the trade package for Bargnani in 2013 and was sent out of New York, but man… what an underrated run Steve Novak had in a Knicks jersey.

During his two years with New York, Novak was a lethal catch and shoot type of guy to bring off the bench. He didn’t score the most points, averaging seven and a half in his two seasons, but he definitely had some big nights that got fans on their feet like this one.

Novak was truly ahead of his time. 6’10, and he could score from the perimeter so well, people would’ve thought he was a guard. He shot nearly 45 percent from downtown and was the definition of Curry Range before it was cool. Without a doubt one of the most underrated Knicks of any generation.

Derrick Rose

During his one season with the Knicks, Derrick Rose was an absolute spark-plug on offense, providing an electric atmosphere to MSG on a nightly basis. The three-time All-Star averaged 18 points and 4.4 assists during his time as a Knick and looked the most explosive he had been since his MVP days in Chicago.

Saying that, his offensive production was overshadowed by a few things, making him a player that Knicks fans never really thought they would miss until he was gone.

Playing behind Carmelo who NEEDED the ball and a rising Porzingis was never what Rose needed to get the exposure he deserved, even if he was playing in the Garden. Rose had a point to prove in 2016, showing that he could still produce and stay healthy given the correct opportunity.

He was only 28 and was able to string together 62 games that year, but due to the fact that he played behind two other borderline All-Stars, it never helped him show out the way he wanted to. Not to mention, he was in a triangle offense that was an absolute nightmare causing him to stand in the corner most of the time.