After resting at the hotel for a day, the Knicks' 2009 rookie trio arrived at the Summer League training camp.
The team was led by the Knicks' lead assistant, Kenny Atkinson. This was standard NBA practice; head coaches rarely bothered with Summer League, preferring to stay home and refine their strategies for the upcoming regular season.
Aside from the core rookies, the roster consisted mostly of deep-bench "water-cooler" keepers, undrafted free agents, and overseas prospects. Looking at the group, Luke barely recognized any of the names.
After a round of introductions, Luke and the others got acquainted. He soon learned the starting lineup from Atkinson:
Center: Earl Barron
Power Forward: Danilo Gallinari
Small Forward: Luke Thorne
Shooting Guard: Danny Green
Point Guard: Stephen Curry
Earl Barron was an NBA veteran who had spent three seasons with the Heat, though primarily as a reserve. Gallinari was the 6th overall pick from 2008. He had a personal connection to D'Antoni; the coach had been close friends with Gallinari's father during his playing days in Italy. Essentially, D'Antoni was Gallinari's uncle.
One couldn't help but wonder if there had been some nepotism involved in his selection, especially since Gallinari's rookie season was underwhelming—averaging just 6.1 points in 28 games. However, Luke knew "Gallo" was the real deal. In the timeline Luke came from, Gallinari was a key scorer for the Thunder who became a Western Conference dark horse after Westbrook's departure. He was a lethal shooter with a career average around 38% from deep, sometimes hitting 43%. Unlike many European prospects, he had an explosive physique and thrived on physical contact.
Once the pleasantries were over, Atkinson began putting them through their paces. While Summer League might seem trivial to some, it was a massive opportunity for an assistant coach to prove they could lead a team—a chance that usually only comes after a decade of working behind the scenes.
After running basic sets, Atkinson ordered a full-court scrimmage.
Curry dazzled with his three-point shooting, while Luke dominated the defensive end. No one matched up against Luke could score consistently. Through this scrimmage, Luke officially validated himself to his teammates; the video of him locking down Carmelo was no act. He earned their immediate respect. Luke knew one truth: Strength earns respect. It isn't given; it's taken.
As the session ended, Atkinson told everyone to prepare for tomorrow's opener. The Knicks were scheduled to face a terrifying opponent: The Oklahoma City Thunder.
When Luke looked at the Thunder's roster, he took a deep breath. "This is insane," he muttered.
The lineup featured Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden. Those three alone were enough to steamroll almost any team in Vegas. Westbrook hadn't yet become the "stat-sheet stuffer" of the future; he was still a disciplined point guard who had just finished a stellar rookie year averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Harden was one of only five players in NCAA history to average 20 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4 assists while shooting 50% from the field. He was arguably the most polished player in the '09 class. Then there was Ibaka—an elite rim protector with incredible hops. Luke knew that in the original timeline, Ibaka would lead the league in blocks twice and make three All-Defensive First Teams.
The roster even included Shaun Livingston, who was currently wandering the league after his horrific 2007 leg injury. Luke remembered a quote about him: "I run so hard just to catch up with the person I used to be." Even diminished by injury, Livingston was not a player to be taken lightly.
This game was going to be an uphill battle.