00:00What's up Knicks fans? I know summer league scores don't always tell the full story. They really don't. The Knicks, they didn't fare well in their first game in Vegas, falling to the Pistons on Friday night, 104-86, and the Knicks, not good in this one. They shot a combined 40% from the field, 22% on trays, and they turned the ball over 16 times in 40 minutes. Yikes!
00:18But if you watch the Knicks opener against the Pistons closely, one name should have shown you a bit of something. That's Pacom Dottier. Yeah, the Knicks lost by 18, but Dottier looked like a guy who has improved some things in his game. The 20-year-old wing led New York with 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
00:35Now, some of this came when the game was out of reach, but he got it done attacking closeouts, finishing strong around the rim, and cutting at the right time. He even had a block on a much bigger forward, showing that defensive upside that Knicks scouts have been talking about since they drafted him last year.
00:51So, what should Knicks fans be watching for the rest of the summer league with Dottier? Well, number one, spot-up shooting. He went one for three from deep against Detroit.
01:00If he can become a consistent catch-and-shoot threat, it opens up everything else in his game. Secondly, defensive versatility. Dottier has already shown that he can guard multiple positions, so let's see if he can stay disciplined and switch effectively on the perimeter.
01:14And then, number three, I'd say decision-making. Can Dottier make the right read out of a closeout? Kick to the corner, slide into a passing lane? This is where he can show Mike Brown that he's not just a developing second-year player, he's a trustworthy rotation piece.
01:29And look, I get it. He's young. But the Knicks didn't draft Dottier without believing that he can develop into a player. They believe that he can contribute sooner rather than later.
01:40In a Mike Brown system that values energy, length, and two-way discipline, Pacom Dottier checks a lot of those boxes. He may not crack the rotation immediately, but if he keeps stacking performances like this, he's going to make that decision harder and harder come training camp.
01:55So, stay locked in, Knicks fans. It's early in the summer, there's a lot more basketball to come, but Pacom Dottier might just be the sneaky summer story that turns into a regular season reality.
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