The Knicks fell 91-88 to the Indiana Pacers, falling to 1-3 in summer league play. Second-year guard Tyler Kolek had five turnovers in the loss, something that has become a huge problem for him in Las Vegas. Through four games, Kolek now has 18 turnovers, the second-most of any player.
It is important to note that the Knicks rolled out an interesting lineup against the Pacers. Pacome Dadiet, Kevin McCullar Jr., Ariel Hukporti, and Mohamed Diawara all missed the game due to injuries. Still, second-year players should dominate summer league play, and Kolek hasn't been able to this summer, at least not consistently.
Kolek seemed to be turning a corner during the Knicks' 97-93 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Yet, even in a game where he looked like the best player on the floor, he still turned the ball over four times. Kolek came into the league with the reputation of being a great passer. This summer, his greatest skill has turned into his biggest weakness.
Kolek needs to take better care of the ball
The easiest way to lose an opportunity as a guard in today's NBA is through turning the ball over and poor shooting, which is exactly what Kolek has been doing all summer league. His 18 turnovers trail only Jeremiah Fears for the most in summer league.
What is more concerning for Kolek, however, is the number of turnovers that have come through poor passes. So far, Kolek has 10 bad pass turnovers, which make up more than half of his total turnovers and are good for the second-most out of any player in summer league.
Kolek has turned over a staggering 4.8% of his total passes thrown so far this summer, once again the second-highest percentage of any player who has thrown at least 150 passes in summer league.
Turnover aren't the only concern for Kolek
The turnovers have been a major concern for Kolek. That said, it hasn't been the only issue for the sophomore guard. It seemed like Kolek's shot was finally starting to fall against the Nets, after he went 5-of-12 from three, hitting everything from pull-ups to catch-and-shoot attempts.
The net had a lid on it once again for Kolek against the Pacers, though, as he went 0-for-6 from deep. He is now shooting just 17 percent from three through four games. Threes off of the dribble were always a concern for Kolek, but the Knicks had hoped he would be able to knock down catch-and-shoot threes at a higher percentage.