The New York Knicks have rounded out their 14-man roster by guaranteeing the contract of Mohamed Diawara, the No. 51 pick from the 2025 NBA draft. Rookies do not tend to play a big role on contenders, let alone when they were taken at the end of the second round, but the 20-year-old is tantalizing enough that he’s already higher in the pecking order than Pacome Dadiet.
Mohamed Diawara has signed a standard NBA contract, according his agency, @MazSportAgency
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) October 20, 2025
Diawara was previously on an Exhibit 10 contract.
This much became clear during the Knicks’ final preseason game. Faced with rolling out three alternative starters alongside Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges, head coach Brown went with Jordan Clarkson in the backcourt, Trey Jamison III up front, and…Diawara on the wing. When he was asked about the decision, Brown said that he thought the rookie “earned it in practice.”
Saying Diawara is ahead of Dadiet in the rotation amounts to calling him the 13th man. He will, in all likelihood, spend most of his time with the Westchester Knicks. Yet, as the roster currently stands, usurping Dadiet could mean more than we think.
Mohamed Diawara could benefit from the Knicks’ wing rotation
The tippy top of the Knicks’ wing rotation is, in theory, absolutely stacked. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges occupy the starting spots, and Josh Hart is being moved to the bench. After that, New York doesn’t have much else.
Beyond Diawara and Dadiet, there’s…basically no one. If any of the primary wings miss time, New York will have to get by with a ton of dual-big lineups, some three-guard combinations, and the hope that Landry Shamet can steal some minutes at the 3—which is basically an extension of three-guard arrangements.
The Knicks could also, you know, give one of their youngsters a chance. We already know they would prefer not to, but they’re a rolled ankle or two away from having little choice.
Heck, the back issues that dogged Hart throughout the preseason could leave them shallower than expected on the perimeter right out of the gate. Fleshing out the wing spots gets even harder if Robinson isn’t available, either.
Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson did not go through Knicks practice today. Brown says he's unsure about their availability for the opener vs. Cleveland but reiterates that it's next man up. Robinson is having his workload managed workload. Hart is progressing.
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) October 20, 2025
Brown can turn to three-guard looks as well as more of Guerschon Yabusele and Ariel Hukporti, but at some point, having a body who can check other wings becomes important. Diawara is someone who can fill that role, at least in concept. He doesn’t have a jumper of which to speak, but his defensive versatility has drawn loose comparisons to Anunoby.
The Knicks won’t be making any changes right away
New York may look to address the wing rotation from outside the organization if playable depth becomes an issue. But it’s unlikely to do it right away.
The Dadiet market is clearly busted, and teams usually aren't looking to make trades this early into the season anyway. Taking a free-agent flier may be inevitable, but the Knicks do not have the financial flexibility to sign a 15th man until later in the year.
Once more, with feeling: It would be a genuine shocker if Diawara is a rotation regular. From the looks of things, though, there will be games in which two of the Knicks’ top-seven guys are out. And in those instances, we can’t rule out the possibility that Diawara becomes more than a garbage-time candidate.