New York Knicks: 3 Sophomore goals Kevin Knox should reach

In a busy offseason for the New York Knicks, one storyline that flew under-the-radar was the development of Kevin Knox heading into his second NBA season.

New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox had his ups and downs in his first year, and the only consistent aspect of his game was his inconsistency. Some of the highs included winning Eastern Conference rookie of the month in December, where he averaged 17 points and six rebounds while shooting 38.4% from three. The lows included his ghastly 37% shooting from the field and missing the start of the season due to an ankle injury.

Knox has the tools to be a successful NBA player, and he needs to start giving consistent effort and shooting on a nightly basis. Here are three goals he should look to reach by the end of the 2019-20 season.

Finish with More Assists than Turnovers

Knox isn’t known for being a facilitator, and he likely never will be, but cutting down on bad passes and poor decision-making is going to be huge in his development. The former Kentucky standout has shown flashes of his passing vision, and it could be an underrated part of his game in the future.

While this goal may seem easy, Kevin Knox cutting down on 1-2 turnovers per game could have huge implications on the final score. Early results have been promising, with Knox committing just one turnover in 3 preseason games.

Shoot over 36% from three

In early interviews, Kevin Knox set out an eye-popping goal.

While it’s nice to see the 20-year old being ambitious, this is not likely to happen just yet. Last season, only 22 players shot above 40% from behind the arc. If you’re looking at players who maintained 40% shooting from deep while taking as many three-point attempts as Knox (4.9 per game), the number of players goes down to just 10.

However, it’s not hard to see the young forward bring his 34.3% three-point shooting up heading into his second season. If he can maintain his volume while increasing his accuracy to above the league average, this could help the Knicks offense exponentially.

Improve Shot Selection

One of the reasons for Kevin Knox’s inconsistency was his penchant for taking long mid-range jump shots. He often settled for these long two’s instead of stepping behind the arc or driving into the paint. This was arguably the main reason for his low shooting rates, as these inefficient shots indeed bogged down his field goal percentage.

By season’s end, he ended up taking more mid-range jumpers (23% of his total shots) than attempts inside 3 feet from the basket (22% of his total shots).

Knox should look to use his 6’9″, 215-pound frame to bully his way into the paint for high-efficiency shots and the potential to draw more fouls. He needs to focus on the majority of his shots being three-pointers or points in the paint.

Knox is an intriguing player to watch heading into his second season, as his ceiling is still unknown. If he can start becoming an efficient contributor to every game, the Knicks will turn more than a few heads.