The reward for a fifth straight losing season is Kevin Knox.
The Knicks made the forward their ninth pick Thursday in the draft, adding the next important piece to their rebuild.
With Kristaps Porzingis shelved because of ACL surgery until the middle of next season, at the earliest, the expectation is New York will endure another lottery-bound campaign. But patience has been the mantra and the Knicks are selling their rebuild around Porzingis (22 years old), Frank Ntilikina (19) and now Kevin Knox (18).
The Knicks, who finished 29-53 last season (their fourth straight losing at least 50 games), fired Jeff Hornacek after the final game. The front office duo of Scott Perry and Steve Mills then hired David Fizdale, who has preached defense, culture and accountability in his first month on the job. He is the franchise's 11th coach since 2001.
The Knicks also have the 36th pick in Thursday's draft, which was acquired in the trade for Carmelo Anthony.
Their first-round picks in the last 15 years have seen spotty results _ Michael Sweetney (9th overall), Channing Frye (8th), David Lee (30th), Renaldo Balkman (20th), Wilson Chandler (23rd), Danilo Gallinari (6th), Jordan Hill (8th), Iman Shumpert (17th), Tim Hardaway Jr. (24th), Kristaps Porzingis (4th), Frank Ntilikina (8th).
Currently, the Knicks have 10 players under contract and only one _ Hardaway Jr. _ could be penciled in as a sure starter. If, as expected, Enes Kanter opts into his contract, New York will have no cap space to chase free agents. The team has targeted 2019 free agency when Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard are scheduled to be on the market.
