Getty New York Knicks forward RJ Barrett
The New York Knicks may have one of the best rosters and lineups at the 2019 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is largely thanks to the team’s addition of No. 3 overall pick and former Duke Blue Devils star RJ Barrett. Beyond Barrett, the Knicks have an intriguing group playing in Vegas and should be a top contender to take home the title.
The Knicks were one of the favorites to land the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and potentially add Barrett’s teammate in Zion Williamson. Although they fell to the third selection, Barrett is about as strong of a consolation prize as a team could ask for. We’re going to take a look at the Knicks roster and summer league lineup while evaluating a few names who’ll be worth keeping an eye on through the start of July.
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New York Knicks Summer League Roster & Lineup
*Note: All roster information courtesy of NBA.com. The team listed next to each player was where they spent the 2018-19 season.
- Kadeem Allen, guard, Knicks
- Ignas Brazdeikis, forward, Michigan
- RJ Barrett, guard/forward, Duke
- Tyler Cavanaugh, forward, Salt Lake City
- Markel Crawford, guard, Memphis
- Henry Ellenson, forward, York Knicks
- Amir Hinton, guard, Shaw
- Zak Irvin, guard/forward, Westchester
- VJ King, forward, Louisville
- Kevin Knox, forward, Knicks
- Lamar Peters, guard, Mississippi State
- Allonzo Trier, guard, Knicks
- Mitchell Robinson, center, Knicks
- Kenny Smith, guard, Grand Rapids
- Andrew White III, forward, Maine
- Kenny Wooten, forward, Oregon
The Knicks are loaded with an interesting group for the summer league play this year. It’s one that’s headlined by Barrett but also players who made an impact for the Knicks last season in Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox and Allonzo Trier. Knox was the No. 9 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft while Robinson was a second-rounder and Trier was added by the Knicks as a free agent.
All three saw decent minutes during the 2018-19 season, with Knox logging 28.8 minutes per game and averaging 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Trier posted marks of 10.9 points and 3.1 rebounds while Robinson wrapped up the year with 7.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and a superb 2.4 blocks per game.
Knicks Summer League: RJ Barrett, Ignas Brazdeikis Names to Watch
Along with the current players on the Knicks roster, the team has a few intriguing rookie prospects worth monitoring. One of which, of course, is Barrett, who starred at Duke while averaging 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists along with shooting 45.4 percent over 38 collegiate games.
Barrett will step in as one of the top options on the offensive end for the Knicks this season, and his well-rounded game will be on full display at the summer league before the 2019-20 season gets underway. While Barrett is going to be in the spotlight all summer, another Knicks draft pick in Ignas Brazdeikis is also worth keeping an eye on.
Brazdeikis, a small forward who stands 6-foot-7, played just one season with the Michigan Wolverines before opting to go pro. He averaged 14.8 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting an impressive 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. Brazdeikis was a second-round pick and while he may not log big minutes during his rookie year, he’ll use summer league as a chance to showcase his upside and potential.
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