Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The New York Knicks Summer League team has started with two historically low-scoring games in Las Vegas.
- Through two games they are averaging just 57 points per game, shooting 27.4 percent from the field and 21.3 percent on 3-pointers.
- The team faces the Pistons and Warriors next, two squads that have looked strong and could push this Knicks team to new lows.
It is going to take a lot to ruin the vibes for New York Knicks fans after the franchise won their first championship in more than 50 years. But, unfortunately, their Summer League roster seems determined to try.
The official NBA Summer League in Las Vegas kicked off Friday, July 9, and the Knicks have already played two games, scoring a grand total of 114 points. On Friday, they managed just 65 points in a 26-point loss to the Brooklyn Nets. On Saturday, they followed it up by scoring just 49 points in a 21-point loss to the Spurs.
To be fair, Summer League games are four, 10-minute quarters, so a total of eight minutes shorter than a full regular-season game. Still, the Knicks are averaging just 57 points per game, nearly 20 fewer than any other team. It's been some of the worst offensive basketball you can possible imagine.
New York Knicks Summer League roster
To be fair to the Knicks, their two picks from the 2026 NBA Draft came in at No. 39 (Jack Kayil) and No. 47 (Tyler Nickel). The only other notable players on the roster are Pacome Dadiet, the No. 25 pick in 2024, and Mohamed Diawara, the No. 51 pick in 2025.
PLAYER | JERSEY # | POSITION |
|---|---|---|
Dillon Jones | 1 | F |
Pacome Dadiet | 4 | F |
Toby Okani | 14 | F |
Jaden Akins | 21 | G |
Will Johnston | 26 | G |
Oziyah Sellers | 27 | G |
Akoi Yuot | 28 | F |
Keith Palek III | 29 | F |
Langston Wilson | 30 | F |
Liam Robbins | 31 | C |
Erik Reynolds II | 35 | G |
Treysen Eaglestaff | 36 | G |
Lance Ware | 45 | C |
Mohamed Diawara | 51 | F |
Tyler Nickel | 55 | F |
Jack Kayil | 77 | G |
Nick Jourdain | 91 | F |
This is no an elite roster in terms of talent or polish, but Diawara appeared in 69 regular-season games last season. Dadiet has played almost 250 minutes of garbage time for the Knicks. Kayil averaged 12.2 points per game for Alba Berlin in Germany's top domestic league last year. Nickel played four college seasons for North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt, averaging double-figures and shooting better than 40 percent on 3s the last two season. They are not completely devoid of talent of experience. There's just no excuse for playing this badly.
The Knicks Summer League offense stinks
Through the first two games, this Knicks Summer League team is shooting 27.4 percent from the field and 21.3 percent on 3-pointers. They've only made 56.5 percent of their free throws and recorded significantly more turnovers (36) than assists (29). Even though they've missed significantly more shots than any other team, they only rank 19th in offensive rebounds per game. The Knicks are struggling to put up point in every aspect and in every way.
They also have the misfortune of playing the Pistons and Warriors next to finish out their Summer League slate — two teams that have looked really good so far and feature top rookie talents Ebuka Okorie and Yaxel Lendeborg. So it might get worse before it gets better.
There aren't a ton of summer league stats that are easy to compare but the 2023 Hornets were one of the worst squads in recent memory — going 1-6 with a minus-55 point differential. That team still averaged 84 points per game, miles ahead of this Knicks squad.
The good news for Knick fans is that none of these players were really expected to be major contributors in the next few years. It's not like watching a collection of roster players and first-round picks struggle in historic ways. And hey, no matter how bad they lose, the league can't take the NBA Championship back. Right?
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