Leon Rose's front office needed just six years to turn the team from a 21-win bottom dweller to NBA Champions — without ever tanking. They've spent their time in charge of the New York Knicks making their case for being the best NBA braintrust of the 30, and the 2026 Draft is already looking like their latest masterclass in both talent acquisition and cap management.
Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel, the team's #39 and #47 overall draft picks, have both looked good early on at Summer League. Even with the Knicks standing at just 1-3 in Las Vegas after losing to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, both incoming rookies have found ways to contribute to winning basketball.
Between the duo's 3-point shooting and high "compete level" on defense, it's hard for fans not to be excited about the early returns. Even in a draft class that saw plenty of promising talent return to collegiate play in pursuit of lucrative NIL payments, the Knicks seem to have come away with two steals.
In the era of the second apron, being able to replace talent at cost — through the draft — might just be more important than ever. Luckily for New York, they have just the right crew of executives and scouts in place.
Knicks' recent draft history easily justifies hope amid second apron
The Knicks' current front office drafted Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes with the 25th overall picks in their respective drafts. They added Miles McBride with the 36th overall pick in the same class as Grimes. They found both Jericho Sims and Ariel Hukporti with the 58th pick in their respective drafts, too.
The evidence is easy to find: Rose's scouts excel at identifying value late in almost any draft class. And even though the Knicks have a title to defend now, things have been different when it comes to their utilization of both their bench and young talent since hiring Mike Brown.
Kayil and Nickel both seem to have a skill, in their 3-point shooting, that can translate to the NBA level early on in their careers. Even if the former of the two isn't able to start his life as an NBA draft pick stateside, he'll have a full season in Serbia to work on his skills as a member of Mega Basket.
Nickel, on the other hand, should be much easier for the Knicks to bring into next season as part of their squad — one way or another. New York certainly still needs another center, though, and have just one roster spot left.
That said, Brock Aller and the team's group of strategists have earned the benefit of the doubt with regard to whatever kind of rookie exception shenanigans, or second apron duckery, need to happen. They'll figure it out. They just calculated the Knicks all the way to an NBA Championship.
Add us as a preferred source on Google