Knicks just suffered their worst loss of the offseason

The New York Knicks have had a productive, focused offseason. They brought in Mike Brown as their new head coach, added some much-needed depth in free agency, and locked in Mikal Bridges with a long-term extension. For a team looking to take that next leap, it has been a pretty strong summer overall.

But one piece of news, overseas, and outside the usual headlines, still stings pretty hard. Rokas Jokubaitis, the Knicks’ 2021 second-round pick and longtime stash prospect, suffered a serious knee injury this week while playing for Lithuania in EuroBasket.

Jokubaitis’ injury puts a promising Knicks prospect on hold

According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews, Jokubaitis tore his ACL and meniscus in his left knee during the fourth quarter of a group-stage win over Finland. The play looked innocent: a drive to the basket, a hard plant, and then a sudden collapse. Jokubaitis got up quick limped off immediately, and fell in pain on the sidelines.

A diagnosis came from his EuroLeague club, Bayern Munich, announcing that he will have to undergo surgery and be out for at least six months. And just like that, one of the Knicks’ most intriguing long-term options is on pause again.

Jokubaitis has always been a mystery to casual fans. He was drafted 34th overall in 2021, stashed overseas ever since, showing flashes in Summer League and carving out a solid career in Europe. But this summer, especially during EuroBasket, it felt like he was finally breaking out.

Through four games, he averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 assists, and shot over 55 percent from three-point range, leading Lithuania in points, efficiency, and steals. He is even leading the tournament in assists, just ahead of Slovenia’s Luka Doncic.

Let’s just say that he has looked ready, not just to compete, but maybe to contribute. That is why this injury hits harder than it looks. The Knicks were not banking on Jokubaitis to be part of the rotation this year, but with backcourt depth always a question and his rights still held by the team, the timing felt right for something to finally happen.

Now? He is out for the season, and the NBA window, already narrow for most draft-and-stash players, gets a little tighter. The Knicks still had a strong offseason. Their foundation is better than it was three months ago. But if you were hoping this would be the year Jokubaitis made the jump, this injury feels like a real loss, even if it will not show up on any transaction log.