LOS ANGELES — David Fizdale won’t get the chance to see Kevin Knox face LeBron James for the first time Friday at Staples Center.

But the Knicks coach hopes not to leave the arena without the 19-year-old Knox and the injured Lakers star sharing a conversation. Fizdale and James are close from their days in Miami — when Fizdale was a Heat assistant coach — and hopes to trade in a favor.

“I’m all right anytime I don’t have to see him,’’ Fizdale joked following the Knicks’ practice Thursday at UCLA. “I’ve seen him enough.”

James, out with a groin injury, will miss a fifth straight game for the surprising Lakers (21-17).

“You always want to play against the best though,’’ Fizdale said. “I’m wishing him to get back on the court as soon as possible. For now, I’m going to try to find a way to get him to talk to Kevin somehow.”

It’s a nice time for Knox to get in some King James time after winning the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Award for December. Knox led conference rookies in scoring average (17.1 points) and 3-pointers made (33) and was second in rebounding (6.0).

Fizdale said he feels James’ words could mean something to Knox. What sort of advice does Fizdale think James can instill?

“Just don’t get too high or too low with all of the scrutiny that comes with it because he’s been through all that stuff, all the highs and lows of winning and losing, the criticisms that come with that,’’ Fizdale said. “Any of the guys that I’ve coached that I can utilize, I’m going to try.”

When Knox was a high school junior, he met James at a Nike summer camp in California. The Knicks lottery pick had circled this game against the Lakers, but if he can’t play against James, chatting him up sounds like a strong consolation prize.

“He probably is the greatest person to ever play the game of basketball,’’ Knox said. “So it would be a great opportunity to talk to him. I know Fiz knows him from Miami. They won some championships together. It would be a great opportunity. I’m a young guy, he came into the league young as well. I’ll be able to get a lot of tips from him as far as me growing up and getting better as a person and as a player.”

When the Knicks hosted the Warriors in November, Knox was out with a sprained ankle, missing the chance to guard the player after whom he most patterns himself — Kevin Durant. Knox will get that chance Tuesday, when the Knicks close this six-game road trip at Golden State.

“This is one of the games I was coming into the season really looking forward to playing,’’ Knox said. “LeBron is one of the players I was really looking forward to playing this season. But unfortunately, he’s not playing, I’m pretty sure. He’s got a lot of years left. I’ll probably see him down the road.’’

The Knicks (9-29 and on an eight-game losing streak), host the Lakers on March 17. By then, perhaps Knox, who already has been counseled by former Heat All-Star Chris Bosh, will be part of the Rookie of the Year conversation.

Since Dec. 1, Knox has been drilling 3s and driving to the basket with more power. His defensive motor and rebounding have been subpar, however, and the Knicks are 1-9 since he returned to the starting lineup.

Knox’s award was announced Thursday, a slice of sunshine to a dark season. His teammates, perhaps relieved to be on the sunny UCLA campus after being in zero-degree weather in Denver earlier in the week, were joyful.

“That’s such a bright spot for us,’’ Fizdale said of the award. “When you’re losing, it’s tough. These guys are always rooting for each other. This morning when we came in I announced it to the team and they just pounced on him. They were so happy for him. It’s also them, pushing him every day, making him a better player. The older players on the court, getting the ball to him in hot spots. That’s a team award.”

The 2018 draft’s second-youngest player got off to a disappointing start in his rookie year. Knox is still trying to reverse a trend of getting out to prolific first quarters before fading.

“It’s a great feeling,’’ Knox said. “I worked really hard these past few months and I started off a little slow. But I just really made sure I just stayed in the gym, stayed consistent with my work, worked really hard so I can have that opportunity. It’s been up and down, roller coaster throughout the season but overall it’s a good achievement. I still got a lot of work to do.’’

Knox isn’t sure whether he talked to James at the high school camp but remembers being alongside him.

“He did drills and played five-on-five with the players,’’ Knox said. “I was way young. I was like 16, went out there, saw LeBron. Starstruck at first. It was cool to be able to go through drills with him.’’