LAS VEGAS — Jordan Hill and Toney Douglas, the Knicks’ 2009 first-round picks, showed flashes in their Summer League debuts last night — but it was the Jazz’ 2007 first-rounder, Morris Almond, who provided the most joy for the Knicks in their 90-86 loss to Memphis at UNLV.
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Almond, a first-round pick, looks like a keeper. He led the team with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, and demonstrated the sweet stroke that prompted Allan Houston comparisons when he came out of Rice.
The 6-foot-10 Hill rallied for a strong second half, scoring 11 of his 13 points and gathering eight boards in the Knicks’ Summer League opener.
Facing No. 2 pick, 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet, Hill shot just 6-of-14 and missed a post-up in the lane with five seconds left that could have tied it.
Douglas, the Florida State PG selected 29th, couldn’t buy a bucket (2-of-13), getting blocked on two drives, but dished out 11 assists with zero turnovers, finishing with eight points.
“Both of them showed flashes of what they can do,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said of Hill and Douglas.
“It’s [Hill’s] ability to grow as a player. That’s what he did in Arizona for three years, and we expect him to do it here. [We] don’t expect him to be an out-of-the-chute gangbuster. He’s not done as a player.”
The 6-6 Almond outplayed the two rookies. The stingy Jazz did not pick up his $1.5M third-year option for financial reasons, and the Knicks signed him to the Summer League with visions of giving him a partially guaranteed contract for next season.
“What we’re looking at is if he can do something else [besides shoot],” D’Antoni said. “We know he can score. I thought his instincts on defense were good.”
Almond made his first three shots and had all 17 by the third quarter. He believes he’ll be in Saratoga for training camp in October.
“Basketball is fun again,” Almond said. “New York showed the most interest when I became a free agent, and we’ll see what happens. This is who I want to play for.”
While Almond was cranking it, Hill and Douglas were off.
Hill had two offensive putbacks that went for three-point plays, but his mid-range game was terrible. His shooting ability weighed heavily in the Knicks drafting him.
“He didn’t make his outside shot,” D’Antoni said of Hill. “I think he’ll make that. He needs to make that. It’s an area he really needs to work on — his 15-foot jumper. He needs to really knock it down. After that, he has speed, quickness.”
Douglas’ decision-making and defense were on display. The Knicks already have him penciled in as their backup PG.
“I didn’t shoot the ball, well but I don’t worry about that, because I’m capable of scoring,” Douglas said.
At least Hill posted better numbers than the bust-in-the-making Thabeet (six points, six boards, one block), whose Mohawk is snazzier than his performances have been in his first two games.