Headlines may be focused on what the New York Knicks could lose, but the front office is actively building a stronger rotation. After years of utilizing a roster that was agonizingly thin along the wings behind their stellar starting trio, New York is producing a necessary change.
By drafting Tyler Nickel and re-signing Mohamed Diawara, the Knicks have finally guaranteed themselves size and developable talent along the wings.
Diawara turned heads late in the 2025-26 season with a series of explosive shooting performances. His size, length, athleticism, and shooting thus revealed how much stronger the Knicks could be with depth beyond OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart.
For perspective: The Knicks played 1,086 possessions with both Anunoby and Hart on the sideline. They ranked in the 28th percentile in net rating during that time.
Inconsistency and inexperience limited Diawara’s ability to rectify that issue, but a successful offseason could prepare him for meaningful minutes as soon as 2026-27. Nickel, meanwhile, has the tools to be one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NBA Draft as a 6’8” wing with an elite jump shot
Losing Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet would be an understandable development to lament, but the Knicks are quietly improving their future.
Knicks finally have wing depth after re-signing Diawara, drafting Nickel
Nickel is the key player to monitor as an incoming rookie. As a second-round pick, he’s as cost efficient as they come and could thus help strengthen a rotation that has limited resources on the road to improvement.
If Nickel can develop into a knockdown shooter, the Knicks would have their Shamet replacement with a long-term contract to potentially support his growth within the rotation.
Thankfully, Nickel already looks the part. In 2025-26, he starred for Vanderbilt with averages of 13.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 3.1 three-point field goals made per game on .445/.400/.847 shooting. It was the third consecutive season during which he shot at least 39.9 percent from beyond the arc.
There’s reason to believe he can translate that success to the NBA with excellent form and deep range. If he can also Improve as a defender, Nickel could be a high-volume contributor.
If Diawara and Nickel both step up, then the Knicks’ once maligned vision would be complete. Their wing-heavy rotation would have no less than five viable options for big minutes after winning a title with an arguable limitation of three.
There are still questions to answer and players to decide the fate of, but the Knicks are making clear progress before free agency has even formally begun.
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