NBA Summer League 2012: 4 Things the NY Knicks Learned

The New York Knicks were awful on the courts in Las Vegas for the 2012 NBA Summer League, but that is not going to matter for the 2012-13 NBA season.

With a team full of no-names who—for the most part—don’t stand a chance of making New York’s roster, expectations were low entering the summer league. That makes a winless campaign during which the Knicks averaged 78 points per game easier to stomach.

Over the short summer season we learned a few things, most importantly that New York’s summer league was bad…

...But the regular season doesn’t have to be.

Chris Copeland Looks Like a Steal

The Knicks signed 28-year-old rookie Chris Copeland to a contract recently. Most 28-year-old rookies who have bounced around the D-League and Europe are seen as damaged goods, but Copeland could be the exception.

The 6’8”, 224-pound power forward led the team in scoring, averaging 13.8 points in five games during the summer league.

More impressive than his scoring average was the way in which he scored. He showed surprising touch for a big man—making 5-of-12 3-point attempts and shooting .857 from the free-throw line.

Copeland will add some offense in a limited role off the bench next season.

This Will be a Veteran Team

Outside of Chris Copeland and just maybe Artsiom Parakhouski, nobody on the Knicks summer team made a compelling case for a roster spot.

The Knicks did not win a game. Copeland put up good numbers, and Parakhouski’s were decent.

The rookie from Belarus averaged 8 points and 6 rebounds per game. He is, however, a 6’9”, 207-pound center. He is a long shot to make the roster.

Don’t expect to see any other summer leaguers making their way up to the big leagues.

Raymond Felton Will Return to Form

During the Knicks’ July 19 game against the Toronto Raptors, newly acquired point guard Raymond Felton stopped by the announcing booth.

After a dismal season in Portland when he reported to camp out of shape and was out-of-sorts all season, Felton looks trim and ready to once again prove himself as a top-tier point guard.

It is clear from listening to this interview that the vitriol spewed at him from the fans and media in Portland got to Felton. Clearly the fans and media in New York will be harsher than those in Portland, but Felton seems to have rededicated himself to his craft.

He is truly excited to play with Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. That will equate to big things for the Knicks’ offense.

Their Real Summer League is in London

The Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder are the only two NBA teams with multiple representatives on Team USA.

Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler will both make big contributions as Team USA tries to repeat as gold medalists.

New York’s regular season games will be won or lost by Anthony and Chandler—not by Mustapha Farrakhan and Kyle Goldcamp.

The Knicks’ 0-5 record during the summer league has no indication on how this team will perform in the 2012-13 season. The Knicks are going to be just fine.

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