The New York Knicks have played below average in the summer league thus far. There have been positives, but more negatives three games in.
First off, summer league games should be taken with a grain of salt. It is just a warm-up for the new guys and for fans to get their fix with more basketball.
However, one specific thing really stood out for the New York Knicks:
The biggest takeaway for the Knicks is that they are basically playing most of their starting lineup and lost their first two games. Again, it is the summer league, but it seems like a major red flag.
The Knicks started Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox and RJ Barrett in all three games in the summer league. Those three are all projected to start the season, along with Julius Randle and Dennis Smith Jr.
But, losing the first two games with a majority of our starting lineup is bad. Yes, the Knicks won their third game against the Lakers, but the concern remains. There have been signs of progress and momentum, and hopefully, the starters can elevate their game and begin dominating.
The team has not played together and need to get used to doing so, but when you are sending out second year players against rookies who are playing in their first professional games and losing, it is a cause for concern.
Could this mean that the Knicks are in for another long season or that they just need time to get accumulated? To be honest, it is probably the latter.