NBA Summer League 2019: Knicks favored to win with RJ Barrett, top Zion Williamson and Pelicans

Alexis Mansanarez

NBA Summer League 2019: Knicks favored to win with RJ Barrett, top Zion Williamson and Pelicans image

The Knicks may get a taste of what a championship feels like soon.

New York is favored to win the Las Vegas Summer League, and although it's just a quick 10-game slate, it would be a good sign of things to come for the season ahead, with the addition of RJ Barrett.

Barrett, who was selected third overall in this year's draft, is just one of the highly touted rookies set to make his NBA "debut" in the exhibition league.

New York was listed at 10/1 favorites entering the Fourth of July holiday with an advantage over Philadelphia, Portland and San Antonio, which were all 12/1, according to SuperBookUSA.

New Orleans, which will see No. 1 pick Zion Williamson make his debut, is listed at 16/1.

Barrett and Williamson will be pitted against each other in the first day of play Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

"It's funny that my first game ever in a uniform is against my guy so, just really excited to play," Barrett said Tuesday after practice.

He added: "I think it's a team, we've got a squad. I'm just a rookie coming in. I'm just trying to learn and do as much as I can to help the team."

The rookie, however, has provided hope to a team that has struggled for the better part of a decade. The Knicks missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year last season and finished with an NBA-worst 17-65 record.

 

Alexis Mansanarez