Can DaJuan Summers rebound from a horrific injury and make the New York Knicks’ roster next season?
The Summer League provides an opportunity for countless players. Outside of rookies, some of these players have spent time in the D-League or overseas, but all of these players share the same goal: making it to the NBA and sticking.
DaJuan Summers’ case is a little different.
Last season, the Baltimore, MD native looked impressive with the Westchester Knicks. Even though he only played three games, Summers averaged 25.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per contest. During that span, he shot 54 percent from the field.
Along with that, Summers was named D-League Performer of the Week.
The last time Summers was seen in a live game, however, an unfortunate incident occurred. With less than two minutes left in the game against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Summers fell to the floor.
He suffered a non-contact injury. He was down and grimacing in pain. The next day, it was announced that Summers suffered a left Achilles tendon injury and would miss the entire season. Three days later, he was waived from the team.
If he wasn’t knocked down with an injury, he could have drawn interest during the 10-day contract signing period.
Even though Summers was briefly knocked down with the Achilles injury, that didn’t mean he was going to stay down. In late June, the New York Knicks announced their Summer League roster and Summers was one of the 14 players to make the squad.
While the Knicks haven’t had much success so far in the Summer League, Summers has looked good. Just like he showed in Westchester, he does have the ability to score and get to the basket.
Summers scored 10 or more points in two of the four Summer League games, but was held scoreless in their first meeting against the Los Angeles Clippers. There is a chance that his injury is holding him back a little since this is his first stretch of live game action since last November.
He was only cleared for full contact about two weeks ago.
On some occasions, the Knicks forward had good looks, but couldn’t connect on his shots. Along with that, he has made several turnovers that have affected the team. Summers wasn’t the only one making turnovers, as the team committed 87 turnovers through four games.
The Summer League is giving Summers a second chance. Last year, he could have had the opportunity to latch onto an NBA team if it wasn’t for an unforeseen injury. While he did not enter the Summer League at 100 percent, the injury isn’t stopping him from getting back into the Association.
The New York Knicks currently have 11 players on their roster. That does include Ron Baker and Marshall Plumlee. Baker signed a partially guaranteed one-year deal with the Knicks and has looked impressive so far in the Summer League.
The team also signed Plumlee to a three-year deal, and year one of the deal is fully guaranteed.
The Knicks must like what DaJuan Summers is bringing to the table. He was a part of last season’s preseason team and spent a brief time with the Westchester Knicks. The 6’8″ forward could have received a 10-day contract last season; that 10-day contract could have been with the Knicks based off their performance down the stretch.
There is a chance Summers is brought in for the preseason to see if he can match the productivity he had in Westchester. Summers had the opportunity to reestablish himself in the Summer League, but the main question is if the injury will affect his play over the course of a season.
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If he is able to recreate that productivity, DaJuan Summers could find himself on the main roster.