The NY Knicks will kick off Summer League on Sunday and there’s a lot of excitement surrounding the team’s rookies: Jericho Sims, Rokas Jokubaitas, Miles McBride, and Quentin Grimes.
The buzz isn’t just about the individual talent. As of now, the Knicks’ Summer League team is in a 3-way tie for the 2nd best odds to win the whole league. It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity for NY’s coaching staff to see how their young rookies look.
NY Knicks: Will Quentin Grimes thrive in the NBA Summer League?
There’s going to be a lot to analyze when New York’s draft picks take the floor, but let’s focus on the player they took first, Quentin Grimes.
During the NBA Draft, New York traded down from pick 21 to 25 and used that selection, their first of the draft, on Quentin Grimes. The 21-year-old just signed his contract with New York on Friday.
In what was a loaded draft class, it was a little disappointing to see the NY Knicks trade down. You can’t fault the process of sticking to their board, but you can, however, fault their board itself.
Kai Jones, Jalen Johnson, and Keon Johnson – the players who were taken at picks 19, 20, and 21 – were high on a lot of boards. Maybe the Knicks didn’t like them, but the Hornets, Hawks, and Clippers did.
While the player they ended up drafting, Quentin Grimes, seems to be locked into this “3&D, role player, team-guy” label, it might not be wise to fully box him into those terms just yet.
Being a 3&D role player is a positive description, but it can also be interpreted as a “low-ceiling, high-floor” player, and looking at Quentin Grimes game, that may not be the fairest profile.
It’s not a simple as “He’s still a rookie and we haven’t seen him play yet”.
It has more to do with the specifics of his game, what he’s flashed in college, and the areas he can still grow. It could be something special.