Some Knicks fans are rooting for their team to tank this season, and rookie forward Kevin Knox isn't happy about it.
Knox spoke on the issue ahead of the Knicks' game against Cleveland on Monday, saying fans that do this aren't "true New Yorkers."
“Yeah, a lot of fans, they always say some dumb stuff,’’ Knox said, via the New York Post. “You see it all the time with the tanking and wanting us to lose, stuff like that. It’s kind of stupid. They’re not really true New Yorkers. Real Knicks fans know that we’re trying to just take this year to just develop us young guys and then next year hopefully make a push.”
Knox, a Kentucky product, was booed by Knicks fans when he was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. But, the young wing has shown promise, averaging 12.6 points and 4.2 rebounds.
The Knicks enter their next contest with a 10-45 record. They have the lowest winning percentage in the NBA, but this still doesn't guarantee the No. 1 draft pick in June.
“We’re just missing a couple of pieces. It’s really good for us young guys to go out there and play against some of those playoff teams and be able to be in games," Knox said. "We lose to the Raptors by five, it’s a playoff team. It’s good to see us — we’re getting better every single game.”
New York traded star big man Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas before the trade deadline, which opened up two max slots. The Knicks are expected to make a run at superstars like Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this offseason.
