The NY Knicks have gotten some strong play from rookies Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant in the NBA Summer League and that could give head coach Derek Fisher some flexibility in his rotation after New York brought in Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams and Kyle O'Quinn this offseason and it could give Phil Jackson the chance to use Jose Calderon as trade bait if Ricky Ledo makes the roster.
The Knicks took Porzingis with the number four overall pick in the draft and most scouts feel that he will need some time to develop. Phil Jackson took some flak for the pick, but Jackson said that he expects Porzingis to be a productive player in the future. Porzingis has shown some early promise in the NBA Summer League, as ESPN New York reports that he has averaged 10 points with nearly two blocks per game and has also been shooting well from the floor.
Porzingis is considered more of a polished offensive player coming into the NBA and the Knicks are hoping that he can become a stronger defensive player. The Knicks want Porzingis to be a contributing player this year, but they cannot rely on that yet and that could lead the team to add one more free agent before camp. The team has Derrick Williams and Porzingis as well as Robin Lopez, Kyle O'Quinn and Lou Amundson in the front court after Cole Aldrich signed with the Clippers.
The team has Alex Kirk in the summer league and could add him if he continues to perform well. There are some free agents that could help add depth at center/forward, including Kendrick Perkins, Greg Stiemsma, Justin Hamilton or Samuel Dalembert. According to Ian Begley at ESPN New York, the Knicks had 11 guaranteed players on the roster before Alexey Shved decided to go back to Europe and they also have Langston Galloway on a deal that is partially guaranteed. Begley writes that the team has three roster spots left and they could consider Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Ricky Ledo, who have played well in the summer league.
Jerian Grant is expected to get significant minutes as a rookie for the Knicks, as he had a lot of experience playing in college. Grant wrote on the Players Tribune that he is comfortable learning the Triangle offense and if he picks it up quickly, he could push to be the main backup for the Knicks. The team has Jose Calderon, Langston Galloway, possibly Ledo and Arron Afflalo as main options and if Grant continues to perform well, Calderon could be trade bait again. Calderon dealt with injuries last season and he also could be a potential trade chip for Jackson if there is enough depth on the roster.
Check here for more on the Knicks Summer League team, the play of Grant and Porzingis or for more on the roster and Jose Calderon.
