New York Knicks Rumors: Kristaps Porzingis Gets High Marks In Summer League, Knicks May Have Steal Of Draft
New York Knicks rumors reveal some high praise for Kristpas Porzingis coming in. The Knicks took Porzingis with the fourth overall selection of the 2015 NBA Draft, and immediately put him to work during the NBA Summer League. It is there that he is turning the heads of a lot of scouts, some of whom feel that the Knicks might have the steal of the draft. A report from the New York Post on Saturday, July 18, says that he played well in the first four games the Knicks played in Las Vegas.
The on-court performance from Porzingis led to one scout stating, “Maybe they won’t be so much of a joke this season.” That comments is in reference to how the Knicks have struggled to win games in recent seasons, and how the team didn’t add any big name players during the NBA offseason. Adding Porzingis to a group that includes Carmelo Anthony and several really good role players might be enough to finally get the Knicks back into the postseason.
Knicks coach Derek Fisher weighed in on Porzingis as well, commenting on how he looked during his first appearances with the team.
“We played four games in six days — he got through it pretty well. He’s healthy. This offseason is really important for him to make a transition. We wanted to avoid any setbacks that would limit his offseason work.”
During his four Summer League games, Kristaps Porzingis averaged 20.5 minutes, 10.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game. He also shot 48 percent from the field and looked pretty good on defense. Those are numbers that president Phil Jackson and Fisher will gladly take from the 19-year-old. While he may have a lot of development still to do, it appears that Porzingis might just be able to fulfill the buzz he created at the 2015 NBA Draft.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, there were a lot of New York Knicks rumors during the NBA offseason, including the successful signing of a few free agents. Joining Carmelo Anthony with the Knicks are Robin Lopez, Kyle O’Quinn, Derrick Williams, Arron Afflalo, Lance Thomas, Jerian Grant, and Kristaps Porzingis. Grant is a point guard out of Notre Dame that will add some additional depth to the second unit of the Knicks. While the roster might not be flashy on paper, it certainly has much more talent than the 2014-15 version.
While the team definitely has a lot to do before NBA analysts feel they are truly competitive again, these latest New York Knicks rumors show that the team is at least heading in the right direction. Finally taking the time to develop some talent from the NBA Draft could be huge if it turns out that Porzingis and Anthony work well together.
[Image Source: Elsa/Getty Images]
