Pacome Dadiet’s future with the New York Knicks is in question. According to league sources, the former first-round pick is available ahead of the trade deadline. This is a clear sign that New York is willing to move on sooner than expected as it looks to tweak a roster built to win now.
Marc Stein of The Stein Line recently reported that “the Knicks entered Sunday’s play at 6–7 since defeating San Antonio in the Dec. 16 Cup final in Las Vegas." Stein added that “league sources say that Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet are available before the Feb. 5 trade deadline to potentially set the Knicks up to do some minor tweaking.”
Dadiet’s development timeline no longer fits
That detail speaks volumes about where the organization stands. The Knicks looked sharp during the In-Season Tournament, especially in the final. Since then, consistency has been harder to find. The results have dipped, and the sense of urgency has grown. For a team with real postseason expectations, standing pat is not an encouraging option.
Yabusele being mentioned as trade material is no surprise. He was expected to be a big piece for the Knicks in the offseason. Someone who can provide depth. However, that has not been the case, as he has struggled to carve out a role. Through 32 games, he is averaging just 9.9 minutes, 3.3 points, and 2.2 rebounds. Production that reflects how quickly he has fallen out of the rotation.
Dadiet’s situation is more delicate. The team used a first-round pick on him in 2024, but he was always considered a longer-term project. That plan no longer fits the moment. This season, he has appeared in just 14 games, averaging a little over three minutes per night.
Across 32 career games, he is only averaging 1.1 points and has yet to secure consistent trust from either of the Knicks' last two coaches, Tom Thibodeau or Mike Brown. Brown has even been utilizing the younger guys on the roster, but Dadiet still can’t seem to find his way onto the court.
Roster spots are being evaluated through a postseason lens, and players without a clear role become movable pieces. The complication is value. Dadiet has not had enough opportunity to raise his stock, which makes him more useful as part of a package than a centerpiece. Pairing him with Yabusele or attaching draft capital may be necessary to bring back a true upgrade.
The Knicks have been linked to names like New Orleans Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado and the Sacramento Kings’ Keon Ellis. Players who address different needs at different costs. Whether Dadiet is moved remains to be seen, but his name is firmly in the conversation, and that alone says plenty about where New York is headed.