Pacome Dadiet is approaching yet another inflection point with the New York Knicks. The team has until Friday, October 31, to exercise the third-year option on his rookie-scale contract. If New York elects to decline it, he’s as good as gone at the end of the season—if not sooner.
These third-year options are usually non-decisions. They are, for the most part, exclusive to first-round picks. And as Jeremy Cohen of Knicks Film School astutely notes, just six of these third-year club options have been declined over the past six years.
This decision, however, is not as cut-and-dry for the Knicks. They are getting increasingly expensive, and must decide whether this core is worth dipping into the second apron next season.
Every dollar counts in that scenario. That includes the paltry $3 million (1.75 percent of the salary cap) Dadiet is slated to earn next season. If you aren’t sold that kind of money matters, just look at the Knicks’ current cap sheet. New York is within $150,000 of the second apron, which it cannot enter, and currently unable to add a 15th man to the roster.
Pacome Dadiet clearly doesn’t have a future in New York
Looming over all of this: The Knicks have already signaled they don’t plan to be in the long-term Pacome Dadiet business.
New York was attempting to move him in hopes of signing another veteran minimum deal, on top of Landry Shamet’s return. Malcolm Brogdon’s surprise retirement may have actually saved Dadiet’s spot on the roster into the regular season.
Nothing since suggests the Knicks are any more devoted to the 20-year-old than before. Rookie Mohamed Diawara is clearly ahead of him in the emergency-wing pecking order, and Dadiet has yet to log a single second of court time this season, despite the wing and frontcourt rotations being ravaged by absences.
We have come a long way from New York’s proprietary practice metrics painting him as a tantalizing prospect, folks.
The Knicks will probably pick up Dadiet’s option anyway
With all of this in mind, it would be a genuine surprise if the Knicks decline Dadiet’s team option. Even as they barrel towards the second apron, his salary is too inconsequential to overthink. It’s basically $500,000 more than an experienced veteran’s minimum will cost next season.
Picking up his team option also increases his utility in trade talks. If New York declines it, his incumbent squad can only re-sign him at that $3 million(ish) number in free agency, before having to use cap space or an exception. Teams willing to take a flier on him will value the additional two seasons of cost control he comes with, since his fourth-year option, in this scenario, would remain intact.
Failing that, the Knicks might find it useful to have a $3 million chip in its cupboard for offseason trades. Entering the second apron would prevent them from aggregating players, or taking back more money than they send out. But if they find a cheaper name they can acquire with draft picks, Dadiet would be an expendable asset they can use to make the math work.
Let’s also not rule out the No. 25 pick from 2024 gets better over the season. It’s unlikely, given the Knicks’ limited investment in player development. Still, you never know. And because Dadiet’s salary will always be small enough to dump without much issue if things spiral out of control, there’s no downside to picking up his third-year option.