Kevin Knox has gotten lost in the shuffle a bit as the focus for many on the outside of the Knicks looking in has been on Mitchell Robinson and RJ Barrett as the two main pieces of the young core.

There was also the recent arrival of Obi Toppin, an explosive playmaker who could make an immediate impact during his rookie season.

What about Knox, the 21-year-old the Knicks took with the No. 9 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft?

"I think the guy with the Knicks that you really need to watch this year, going into his third year, is Kevin Knox," former Knick Steve Novak said on MSG A.M. on Tuesday. "I know there are a lot of new names, a lot of new faces and a lot of potential, with a lot of the roster – Obi Toppin being picked, great selection. But to me, Kevin Knox is in his third year. Coach Thibs has been in Kevin Knox’s ear all summer long, since he signed with the New York Knicks.

"And it sounds like they’ve made him a priority. So he is a guy who has the potential to make that leap, and improve and help this New York Knicks team. I think if he can have a solid year, he can really help the Knicks.”

Knox was one of the youngest players drafted in 2018, so growing pains were expected, but he became almost an afterthought during the 2019-20 season as his minutes dwindled.

After averaging 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds while playing 28.8 minutes per game and showing flashes during his rookie season, Knox all but disappeared last season.

He played only 17.9 minutes per game, averaging just 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in the shortened 2019-20 campaign.

It remains to be seen how new head coach Tom Thibodeau will utilize Knox this season, but he is definitely someone to keep an eye on as the Knicks continue their rebuild and seek to determine which players will be there for the long haul.

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