Rooks to watch for in summer
Summer League is really just a mishmash of newly-assembled players trying to achieve harmony — and, in many cases, sell themselves for an NBA roster spot — over a very limited amount of time.
In the case of the Knicks, they’re also trying to learn the triangle in three days of practices and apply that complicated offense to real games. Crisp basketball it is not. Still, there can be important developments gleaned from the five games over six days. Here are three storylines to follow as the Knicks assemble Wednesday for their first practice in Orlando, before the opener against the Mavericks on July 1:
For those who don’t illegally stream French League games, this is probably your first real taste of Ntilikina.
As a developing 18-year-old, it’s hard to imagine Ntilikina physically dominating in Orlando. But the Knicks hope he isn’t overwhelmed or intimidated by the stronger opponents.
Kristaps Porzingis showed in his first Summer League game two years ago that he was up to the challenge. Ntilikina will feel more pressure as the point guard with the ball in his hands running an offense.
With the D-League (sorry, new corporate name is G-League) serving as essentially a farm system, the Knicks can keep many of these players even if they aren’t enamored. But there are real opportunities in Orlando to advance. The Knicks only have eight players on guaranteed contracts for next season, and only one — Courtney Lee — is a guard.
So while Chasson Randle has a leg-up having previously played in the system — and the Knicks have two of their own free agent point guards in Derrick Rose and Ron Baker — players on the Summer League roster can change minds and plans.
Last year, Baker parlayed Summer League into an NBA deal. So what can we expect from undrafted free agents Nigel Hayes, Jamel Artis, Luke Kornet, Canyon Barry and Xavier Rathan-Mayes? How about second round picks Damyean Dotson and Ognjen Jaramaz? Will anybody supplant Marshall Plumlee or Maurice Ndour?
Other than the triangle, there’s just confusion hovering over the franchise. As usual, the bigger story is what’s happening off the court. Since Jeff Hornacek is listed as the head coach of the Summer League, it’s presumed he’ll be the one speaking to the media — and there are plenty of questions that stretch beyond Orlando. There still hasn’t been an explanation for letting go of popular assistant Joshua Longstaff. The last we heard from Hornacek, there “wasn’t a doubt” in his mind that Porzingis would be on the Knicks next season.