The NY Knicks has Kristaps Porzingis make his NBA Summer League debut on Saturday and the results were impressive for the rookie, as Porzingis was strong on defense and hit three of five shots in the win over the Spurs and this comes as the team could add a free agent like Alexey Shved or John Jenkins, while Andrea Bargnani may sign with the Brooklyn Nets.
Porzingis was taken with the fourth overall pick in the draft and Phil Jackson was hit with some criticism, as most scouts think he needs years to develop. Porzingis was the target of frustration for fans after the Knicks slipped in the lottery, so it's not really his fault that he was booed hard when he was drafted. Porzingis came in with high expectations what amounts to a meaningless exhibition, but for a Knicks team that finished second worst in the league, summer games have some added weight.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Porzingis "shined defensively" in his first game with the Knicks in the Summer League in Las Vegas at the Thomas and Mack Center. Pozingis finished with 12 points, three rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes played and he had "high effort" on the defensive end, according to coach Derek Fisher. Porzingis came out of the draft as a player with a strong offensive game and his defense likely will need the most work in the NBA.
UPDATE: The Nets have swooped in to sign Andrea Bargnani over the Sacramento Kings.
This is an auspicious start for Porzingis in the pros and he will now try and build on that debut. Porzingis was questionable to start in the Summer League with a hip injury, but he was able to recover and apart from a break in the game in the second quarter to stretch out, he looked fine regarding the hip. Rookie Jerian Grant also played and he was just 1 of six from the field and had 12 points with five rebounds and three assists. Grant has the chance to be a main contributor this season even as a rookie and Fisher said that Grants is a "really good passer" and can "make plays" on the court.
The Knicks reportedly have interest in bringing back Shved, as NJ.com reports that the team has looked into Shved and John Jenkins on the market. Last season Shved played well during his limited time with the Knicks and the team could use some depth at point guard with Jose Calderon coming back from an injury. According to ESPN New York, the Knicks offered Shved a minimum deal this offseason and they also have a $2.8 million exception to use. The team also added Lance Thomas on a contract and according to Ian Begley, the team has four roster spots left to fill for training camp.
Check here for more on Porzingis and the Knicks Summer League debut, the Knicks win over the Spurs, the interest in Shved and more on Bargnani and his potential deal with the Kings.
The Knicks reportedly had interest in bringing back Andrea Bargnani this season, but Marc Stein at ESPN is reporting that the forward is "closing in on signing" with the Kings. The Knicks likely will be fine with letting Bargnani go, but he did play well at times last year and he leaves after previously being traded for draft picks. Bargnani scored around 15 points per game last season and was paid over $11 million and this contract likely will be for far less than that. Bargs will join Rajon Rondo and Marco Belinelli as new additions in Sacramento.
