LAS VEGAS -- When the Brooklyn Nets beat the New York Knicks to sign free agents Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving last week, they offered the Knicks a template. In order to change their fortunes in free agency, the Knicks must develop the kind of quality young talent the Nets are able to put around Durant and Irving.
That process continues for New York at the NBA summer league in Las Vegas, where the Knicks have several members of their regular-season roster in action. That group includes recent lottery picks RJ Barrett and Kevin Knox, overachieving 2018-19 rookies Mitchell Robinson and Allonzo Trier, and 2019 second-round pick Ignas Brazdeikis. With so much talent, the Knicks were installed by Caesars Sportsbook as favorites to win the NBA summer league before they started 0-2.
After those first two games for New York, including Friday's ballyhooed matchup between Barrett and No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, let's check in on the progress of the young Knicks.
Barrett continues to struggle
Sunday's overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns was a rough night for Barrett, the No. 3 overall pick, who drew some heckling as he shot 3-of-15 from the field and committed eight turnovers. That brought Barrett to 7-of-33 shooting (21%) through two games. Lest we get too worked up, last year's example of Trae Young is a good reason not to worry too much about summer shooting percentages. He shot 30.3% from the field in seven summer games and went on to finish runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting.
Still, it's concerning that we haven't yet seen the kind of benefit from NBA floor spacing that Barrett believers expected him to enjoy. Barrett has had a surprisingly tough time beating his man off the dribble and finishing when he does break through. He went 2-of-6 inside 5 feet on Sunday. He settled less frequently for outside shots against the Suns but dropped to 2-of-13 beyond the arc, something that's unlikely to be a strength for him early in his career.
I continue to remain more impressed with Barrett on defense than offense. He's showing a willingness to make multiple-effort plays as a help defender and came up with two steals and a block Sunday, as well as successfully stopping a 2-on-1 break as the lone man back. He was also excellent on the glass, pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds. Still, New York didn't draft Barrett No. 3 overall for his defense and rebounding. He'll have to find a way to be as effective offensively in half-court settings as he has been pushing the ball in transition before the defense is set.
Knox showing improved shot-making
In what was generally regarded as a strong performance last summer in Las Vegas, Knox shot 35% from the field, previewing his poor efficiency as a rookie. Knox shot 37% last season, and his 47.5 true shooting percentage was the worst in the NBA among players who attempted at least 600 shots.
Given that fact, it's encouraging that Knox has shot 10-of-22 from the field through two games, including 6-of-12 on 3-point attempts. Again, we should be careful about reading too much into that. Shooting percentages take a long time to stabilize, particularly on 3s. Knox's shot selection hasn't necessarily been much better, but he has made a series of off-balance and contested 3-point attempts. I also liked his lone assist Sunday, a drop-off pass on the drive that set up Robinson for a dunk.
Robinson still impressive but undisciplined
The Knicks' best rookie last season was not lottery pick Knox but second-rounder Robinson, who was named to the All-Rookie second team after averaging 12.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per 36 minutes on 69.4% shooting. Robinson's incredible athleticism for a 7-foot-1 center helped him contribute immediately and gives him enormous potential as he harnesses it and adds experience.
Friday's most fascinating matchup wasn't Williamson vs. Barrett, who rarely faced each other, but Zion vs. Robinson in a battle of exceptional athletes for their size. Zion got the better of Robinson in one-on-one situations but saw his shot blocked multiple times by Robinson. Still, Robinson is often too aggressive in the pursuit of blocks and was called for three goaltends on Sunday.
Offensively, Robinson provides vertical spacing as a constant lob threat. On one play Sunday, he managed to adjust to an errant lob and tip the ball in as part of 7-for-8 shooting. Robinson still scored on his only miss, securing the offensive rebound and going up with a quick second jump to finish the play.
After spending most of his rookie campaign coming off the bench, Robinson projects as a starter in 2019-20. Among New York's young players, he is the best equipped with role-player skills to contribute if and when the Knicks add a star.
Trier a professional scorer
This time last year, Trier was an undrafted rookie just hoping to prove he belonged on a two-way contract with the Knicks. After his fast start, the team replaced that with a two-year deal that will pay Trier $3.5 million this season after his team option was picked up.
No matter the setting, Trier is a walking bucket. Before sitting out Sunday's game due to illness, Trier scored a team-high 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting on Friday. He also showed progress as a playmaker, handing out four assists. It will be important for Trier to be more than a scorer in the NBA for him to be a valuable contributor as New York upgrades the talent around him.
Brazdeikis steals the show
The unexpected star Sunday for the Knicks was second-round pick Brazdeikis, who signed a multiyear deal with the team on Saturday. Brazdeikis scored a game-high 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting, including the 3-pointer in the final minutes that sent the game to overtime.
A 39% 3-point shooter during his lone year at Michigan, Brazdeikis used the threat of the 3 (he shot 3-of-6 beyond the arc after missing all three of his attempts Friday) to create driving opportunities. When defenders closed out too hard on Brazdeikis, he put the ball on the ground and blew by them with his right hand, setting up a dunk. It remains to be seen whether Brazdeikis' performance can translate against better competition. He's a bit undersized to serve as an NBA power forward, and his quickness isn't the same asset against small forwards. For at least one night, though, Brazdeikis was the hero.