The Knicks’ decision to draft Mitchell Robinson in the second round Thursday night could signal an end to Luke Kornet‘s time in New York, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team extended a qualifying offer to Kornet, who was on a two-way contract last season, but if he receives even a minimum contract offer [$1.2MM for a second-year player] from another organization, the Knicks may refuse to match it.
A source tells Berman that a handful of teams have interest in Kornet, who displayed an effective shooting touch during his 20 games at the NBA level. Kornet, who went undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2017, averaged 6.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 35% from 3-point range. His performance contributed to the decision to trade Willy Hernangomez, but Berman states that management may view him as a leftover from the Phil Jackson years.
The decision on Kornet will be impacted by how Robinson performs during summer league, Berman adds. The 20-year-old 7-footer is an unknown quantity after opting to leave Western Kentucky without playing a game.
There’s more tonight from New York:
- Isaiah Hicks, the Knicks’ other two-way player last season, also received a qualifying offer, but the team isn’t likely to bring both Hicks and Kornet back, Berman writes in the same story. New York will likely withdraw one of those QOs in favor of signing Arizona’s Allonzo Trier, who reportedly reached agreement on a two-way deal on draft night. Hicks got into 18 NBA games last season and averaged 4.4 points per night.
- Robinson may have trouble adjusting to the summer league after not playing a five-on-five game in 14 months, Berman adds in a separate story. However, his high school coach, Butch Stockton, believes the 36th pick will eventually make an impact with his all-around talents. “I see him stepping in and helping right away,” said Stockton, who attended Friday’s introductory press conference. “When he starts playing, the Knicks fans, they’re going to see what kind of talent he is. The media people say he’s not ready physically or basketball-wise, but he runs the floor extremely well, protects the rim and finishes around the rim.”
- Emmanuel Mudiay, who hosted a youth camp today in New York, expressed confidence that new coach David Fizdale will be able to turn the Knicks around, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. “We’re all kind of starting from scratch,” Mudiay said. “But it’s a positive scratch. It’s big to see that people are actually loving what the front office is doing, loving what the coaching staff is doing. Everybody’s supportive. So that’s a good thing.”
Knox is going to be the next Glen Rice.
That. Is. Funny.
I wasn’t trying to be.
Neither was I.
I like the Knox pick, but boy you have some unrealistic opinions sometimes. Let’s not put so much damn pressure on the kid. How about Knox is gonna be the next Knox… His own player. Not a clone of a former 3 time all star and one of the best 3 pt shooters of his generation.
Maybe he meant when Rice was a Knick. I like Knox a lot. I think it was a good pick.
He was drafted 9th, how many players haven’t got drafted past 9th and became all-stars?(Jimmy,Klay,Kobe,George). Knox can be a superstar. He could easily be the next Durant.
Next Durant? It’s not possible that you can really believe that…
Yes I do.
Fess up, are you really Steve Mills or Scott Perry? That’s the only explanation I can think of…
No I’m Dionis.
Did like Kornet, so hoping he finds another team if they don’t want him. Though it seems Knicks don’t know what they want or do, they get rid of Willy for Kornet, & a few months later they wanna get rid of Kornet for Robinson… SMH. If I was a player, I don’t think I would choose a team like that. That FO are clueless.
Instead of hosting a youth camp, perhaps Mudiay should ‘attend’ a youth camp. Time for the Knicks to cut ties with him. All he’s proven is the opposite of what was hoped for and expected.
Berman has no idea what he’s talking about. This is what you do with a guy like Kornet when you want him back, but preferably on another 2-way since Noah and KP are going use up spots on the 15 man without being able to play, and Robinson having (at some point) to be tendered a 15 man spot, to retain his rights. In a month or so, they’ll know about Kanter and KO and will be in a better spot to give out another 15 man spot. Kornet had nothing to do with the WH trade (they were on different rosters), that was just impatience in dealing with a numbers issue, and when it looked really stupid a few weeks later, and Kornet kind of good, it was thrown out there.
Saved the page