LAS VEGAS – The Knicks tried to swap their two first-round picks to move up to 13th place to pull Oregon swingman sniper Chris Duarte.
Coincidentally, the Pacers didn’t want to participate and voted Duarte. Meanwhile, the Knicks made a number of trades that eventually earned them the 25th pick they used on the University of Houston’s Shooting Guard, Quentin Grimes.
The disparity was evident in Monday’s game with the Pacers when Duarte played his first summer league game. He showed why the Knicks wanted him. Duarte scored 14 points in 26 minutes, made 3 of 7 3 points and registered two blocks. Afterward, Duarte said that he was aware the Knicks were trying to move up, but he was just happy to be voted that high.
Duarte blocked Grimes’ shot on a quick break and then demonstrated his ability to jump by he fought off an obi-toppin runner with two hands.
According to a source, Knicks Senior Vice President was William Wesley Duarte’s biggest fan and sat in court watching Duarte’s Polish Monday.
Grimes had his second bad Shooting performance, 2 out of 10 for six points, but he ended up with six rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes. He has a solid shot but nothing falls. He’s a combined 5 out of 21 in the first two games.
« I feel like I’ve played well, » said Grimes. “I just have to shoot the ball a little better, try to get the nervousness out and everything. New team, play with new guys. ’’
Lefty combo guard Rokas Jokubaitis, the Knicks second-round pick from Lithuania, made his debut and looked nervous. He fumbled two passes in nine minutes but showed speed as he got to the edge and finished on three points. Jokubaitis is likely to head to Barcelona for the season. … Knicks rookie center Jericho Sims, voted 58th, is still perfect. He was 4 for 4 out of the field and even showed a nice pull on the post with a turnaround hook shot. He’s now 10 to 10 in two games – all in a bucket. He missed both of his free throws. Sims also grabbed nine rebounds.
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