The Knicks have given non-guaranteed contracts to Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet. If they want to keep both of them, they are going to have to make a trade to clear space. Second-year guard Tyler Kolek is among the potential trade options to clear space, especially when considering that Tom Thibodeau is no longer with the team, who was arguably Kolek's biggest supporter.
Thibodeau was a huge fan of Kolek and one of the driving forces behind the Knicks selecting him with the 34th pick in the 2024 NBA draft. With Thibodeau out of the picture, things could be more uncertain for Kolek. After signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, the Knicks are right below the second apron. They have enough space for one more veteran minimum, but wouldn't be able to roster both Brogdon and Shamet, without making a trade, that is.
Who is to say that Mike Brown wouldn't prefer to have multiple proven veterans fill out the end of his bench over a second-year guard who just struggled in Summer League? Thibodeau was fired after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, so it is fair to assume that Brown's job security would come into question if he does not at least reach the NBA Finals. With that in mind, it is fair to assume he isn't thinking too far beyond this season.
The Knicks can only keep Shamet or Brogdon
It is clear that the Knicks are interested in both Shamet and Brogdon. Shamet was on the roster last year and has the respect of the front office as well as the players. He is a proven shooter who provides extra depth at the guard and wing positions.
Brogdon would provide some much-needed depth at point guard. After Jalen Brunson, Kolek is the only other true ball-handler on the roster. As things currently stand, Deuce McBride would be the default backup point guard, a role he isn't best suited for.
If the front office and coaching staff views Brogdon as a better insurance policy than Kolek, it could make sense to try to cash in on some draft capital by moving the young guard.
The coming weeks should provide some much-needed clarity about how the Knicks view both their current roster and Kolek's future. They are in win-now mode, and while Kolek has many promising traits, he has many question marks as well, such as his defense and jump shot. Ultimately, the Knicks may view the short term impact of proven veterans to outweigh his potential upside.