Las Vegas — The best thing to say about an NBA Summer League player is that he doesn’t belong there.
Such players stand out too. He has reached the stage where he needs to wear designer sunglasses and stand by next to a well-established player who comes to the party and participates in several games.
That was the way I felt I was watching Quentin Grimes In the first three games of Knicks. Second-year guards talked about a big game about dominating in the days leading up to the glorious nationally aired Scrimmaji. He not only knocked down the jumper, but also confirmed his words. Grimes was a total package that incorporated playmaking into his 3D skill set.
Knicks was at his best when he was on the floor, 39 points ahead of his three opponents. Grimes did it at the elite level, but he scored an average of 24 points with a 46.1 percent shot. He distributed (4.3 assists). He attacked the basket. He defended and rebounded (4.0).
The 25th-chosen Grimes in the 2021 draft appeared ready to give Tom Thibodeau a major role next season. Grimes will certainly not return to Las Vegas next summer — unless he wants to watch some games.
Some other points from the Summer League:
- It makes sense to see Jericho Sims control the paint, defeat enemies, and act as the backbone of Knicks’ defense. Taj Gibson chose not to return to Knicks After he was exempted. The Sims seemed ready to be part of Tibodo’s rotation, showing the aggressive variety the coach was talking about later in the season. Most impressive was the mobility of the Sims with the ball, the skill to grab a rebound and start a transition, or the skill to find an open teammate when a double team arrives. Knicks’ best position next year may be centered around Sims acting as a third pivot behind Mitchell Robinson and rookie Isaiah Hartenstein.
- Knicks started each game well. They played with some passion, concentration and enthusiasm at the defensive end demanded by Tibodo. They treated the contest with seriousness that should not be rejected altogether. Yes, the results of Summer League matches are not counted. Most Knicks and opposition players will not play a role next season. But attention to detail in the defensive end, hustle, and jumping into help when someone was beaten was different from much seen by other teams. They couldn’t exceed 88 points in any game. In the second half of the match, which was defeated by the Trail Blazers on Monday night, two games in a row resulted in a poorly defensive pass. The person who took a rest.
- In Las Vegas, an unknown player is always speaking. Off-radar outlook attracts everyone’s attention. It didn’t happen in Knicks. The men who were guaranteed roster spots such as Miles McBride, Grimes and The Sims were clearly their best players. The forward ferron hunt with a two-way contract was solid and brought energy and an explosion during the transition period. But apart from hitting a few jumpers, the undrafted rookie Jean Montero, who spent last year in Overtime Elite, a new high school league that pays players, wasn’t noticeable. He needs to be strong and develop his playmaking skills. The 6’2 Montero had one assist in three games. Knicks’ only 2022 draft topic, Trevor Keels in Round 2, gave a glimpse of offensive thinking at both ends of the floor, but a scout report on him needs to improve jump shots to make them better. It was that there was. With money. He shot only 6 out of 28 shots, but averaged 5 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
- From Julian Champagnie (St. Johns) to Ron Harper Jr. (Rutgers) to Jarid Roden (Setton Hall), there were many players associated with the region. The best performer? LJ Figueroa, one-season champany teammate at Queens. The 6-6 wing did not miss a single shot in the first two Hornets games, with 16.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Figueroa was perfect 13 to 13 from the field and 4 to 4 from the distance, scoring 15.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. His performance could lead to a two-way contract with Charlotte or another NBA team.
