The New York Knicks are set to finally evaluate their former second-round pick from 2021, Rokus Jokubaitis. The Lithuanian guard is scheduled to play with the Knicks’ Summer League team in Las Vegas, with their first game coming up in a few days, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
Knicks to Evaluate Former Second-Round Pick Rokus Jokubaitis in Summer League
The 23-year-old was drafted 34th overall in 2021, just ahead of Miles McBride. This marks his first appearance with the Summer League team after playing the last few seasons with Barcelona.
Last year, he played 30 games with Barca in Liga ACB and 31 games in the EuroLeague, averaging 7.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 17.7 minutes per game. Despite not being known for his three-point shooting, he shot an impressive .566 from the field and .486 from beyond the arc.
Assessing Jokubaitis’ Potential and Future with the Knicks
While Jokubaitis is a solid distributor and capable of driving to the hoop, his underwhelming statistics with Barcelona don’t necessarily predict a long-term future in the NBA. However, after Lithuania was eliminated from the Olympic qualifiers, he became available to join the Knicks.
Jokubaitis has one year remaining on his contract with Barcelona, but it remains unclear if they will extend him on a longer deal. The upcoming Summer League presents an opportunity for him to showcase his abilities, but it appears the Knicks might be taking one final look before deciding his fate with the franchise.
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New Talent on the Horizon
In addition to Jokubaitis, the team is also expecting first-round pick Pacome Dadiet to join the Summer League roster, providing a first glance at his capabilities against other NBA-bound players. This summer will be crucial for evaluating both new and existing talent as the Knicks look to shape their future roster.