What NBA Summer League revealed about the New York Knicks

The New York Knicks won only one game in the Orlando Summer League, but learned plenty about their future. Losing can still be a learning experience.

There is no easy way to say it, but the New York Knicks 2017 Orlando Summer League team wasn’t very good. Winning one game in five tries isn’t a great accomplishment in any circumstance. Yet, the Knicks did end on a high note by winning their last game.

On one hand, losing is never good for the culture of a team. On the other, even in a loss players and teams can learn something about themselves. The summer version of the Knicks may not have been winners, but let’s hope they were at least good students.

There were obvious shortcomings the Knicks couldn’t overcome this summer. Some of those shortcomings are found in the front office and others revealed themselves in the Orlando Pro Summer League. The lack of explosive athleticism and consistent defense doomed the Knicks, much like it did all of last year.

The easy part of basketball analysis is pointing out the negatives on a bad team. However, there were certain Knicks players and schemes that did excel in Orlando. Positive takeaways from this summer are very important in New York and there were a few that stood out.

Chasson Randle

Much like in 2016, Chasson Randle was a bright spot for the New York Knicks this summer. He shot well and distributed the ball at a consistent rate. Randle led the team with 15.8 points per game, missed only one free throw and hit 47 percent of his three-point shots.

Randle was not perfect and has plenty to work on, however. The exciting point guard also led the team with 21 total turnovers for an average of 4.2 per game. As the primary ball-handler, Randle did have more chances to make mistakes, but he still needs to protect the ball better.

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Randle and other young players will have plenty of opportunities to play in the NBA regular season this year. With head coach Jeff Hornacek free to run his offense, the Knicks will shoot more threes and push the ball in transition. If that style does become a reality, Chasson Randle could be a real surprise this season.

Shooting for the stars

In the dilapidated triangle system forced on the Knicks by Phil Jackson, half-court offense and midrange looks were a common practice. However, it appears a more offense-friendly style of basketball awaits this version of the Knicks.

Furthermore, the shooting proficiency experienced by the Knicks in their Summer League is a positive sign for the future. Damyean Dotson, Jamel Artis and Luke Kornet each had their shooting moments this summer and instantly impacted the team.

Dotson averaged 48 percent in both overall shooting and three-point shooting. Artis averaged 42 percent from three while Kornet shot 37 percent from deep, along with averaging four rebounds and a block per game. Hopefully, these numbers mean the Knicks’ offense will have more freedom and outside shooting in the upcoming season.

The next step

There’s no way to sugar coat the lack of athleticism or interior presence for the New York Knicks this summer. Top pick Frank Ntilikina didn’t play a single minute and his athletic ability alone would have made a huge difference.

The regular season version of the Knicks will no doubt have more athleticism and beef inside. The question is, will they be too good to tank but too bad to make the playoffs?

The next step for the Knicks includes adding Tim Hardaway Jr. and another veteran to round out the roster. If they continue to play with a lack of athleticism paired with poor defense, the Knicks will be one of the worst teams in the NBA. However, with added shooting and competent defense, the playoffs in a weak Eastern Conference aren’t out of the question.

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No matter what happens to the New York Knicks this year, there is hope for a genuine turnaround. A legitimate team president with a coherent salary cap strategy would help that process immensely. Either way, losing is nothing new to these Knicks. For sake of the fans, hopefully they actually learned something this summer.