Kevin Knox has been demoted. Officially.
After not playing for the first time this season Sunday versus the Clippers, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said with the team at full strength, he will keep a 10-man rotation that doesn’t include Knox. For now.
It’s a stunning turnaround for Thibodeau, who praised Knox earlier this season. The 2018 lottery pick now faces a murky future.
“He just has to keep working,’’ Thibodeau said Monday before facing the Bulls. “Obviously [Sunday] was the first time we had the entire roster available, so right now we’re locked into a 10-man rotation, so he’s situational for now. But that doesn’t mean it won’t change. His shooting is a big part of what we need. So we want him to continue to work. He’s an important part of our team.’’
However, Thibodeau said he doubts the G-League bubble is appropriate for Knox even with him out of the rotation. That means he’s close to breaking back in.
“In Kevin’s situation, he’s still very much situational and things can change quickly based on matchups, fouls, injuries, illness,” Thibodeau said. “He would be the next guy in. and so, some of it could be matchups too.’’
So not every former Kentucky star is thriving in New York. While rookie guard Immanuel Quickley and Julius Randle are soaring, Knox, a fellow Wildcat alum, hit rock bottom Sunday in the Knicks’ 129-115 loss to the Clippers.
The writing was on the wall, as Thibodeau reduced Knox’s role when swingman Alec Burks and rookie power forward Obi Toppin returned from long-term injuries. Knox had played just eight minutes in each of the previous two games, going scoreless while attempting just one field goal.
Their 2018 lottery pick had started the season with a bang, showing 3-point shooting range and earning kudos from Thibodeau.
Kevin Knox plays in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Getty Images“Clearly they aren’t prioritizing his development — same as last year,” said one NBA scout.
Less than two weeks ago, Knox led the NBA in corner 3-point shooting percentage, but he has stopped shooting. Knox is averaging just 6.1 points, shooting 39.1 percent overall and also from 3-point range. Knox’s effective field-goal percentage, which gives extra weight to 3-point makes, is a healthy 50.5 percent — higher than both Quickley and RJ Barrett.
Nevertheless, Thibodeau sees a larger picture, and has fallen in love with the grit of wing Reggie Bullock and even the tenacity of Toppin, who is not shooting well (40.8 percent, 26.1 percent from 3). When Toppin was out, Knox played a lot of minutes at power forward.
It should be noted Knicks president Leon Rose is more invested in Toppin than Knox, who was selected ninth overall by Knicks GM Scott Perry and former president Steve Mills.
One individual familiar with the coaching staff’s thinking said Thibodeau still senses Bullock, Toppin and Burks provide “more energy” than Knox has recently, though no data exists to back that up. One of Knox’s issues coming out of Kentucky was a low motor, but he had competed harder this season.
Thibodeau recently commended Knox’s shot selection — feeling last season he launched a lot of ill-advised attempts. For his part, Knox said recently he needed to attack the rim more and not rely solely on 3s.
The NBA scout said the Knicks’ slow pace that Thibodeau prefers doesn’t fit Knox as well as a more rapid attack. Indeed, the 6-foot-8 Knox excels running the floor.
Knox’s shooting had fallen off before not playing Sunday. He was just 4 of 17 in the prior seven games.
On Sunday, Thibodeau was likely worried about Knox’s matchups against the Clippers’ elite forwards, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, as well as the rugged Marcus Morris. However, without Knox, the Knicks let up a season-worst 129 points.
Barrett, whom the Knicks are trying to make more of a small forward, battled but didn’t contain Leonard (28 points).
Knox has not commented yet and it’s unclear if he’d want a G-League assignment if his not playing continued. Dennis Smith Jr. requested a G-League stint, the Knicks said.
Knox has a lot more trade value than Smith. The Post reported Oklahoma City had interest in him when the Knicks were looking at a Chris Paul trade.
The Knicks officially assigned Smith Jr., Ignas Brazdeikis and Jared Harper to the G League bubble in Orlando, which begins in mid-February. The season will last about four weeks.
