After winning the 2026 NBA Championship, Summer League was understandably not at the top of the New York Knicks' list of priorities. They went just 1-4 during their time in Las Vegas, despite standout performances from their pair of rookies.
Both Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel were drafted by Leon Rose in the second round, with the 39th and 47th picks respectively. The pressure of joining the reigning NBA Champions didn't seem to faze either player, with the pair of rookies turning in impressive Summer League outings. Both, however, are still without NBA contracts for next season.
Kayil's contract with Mega Basket in Serbia complicates things on his end, with the Knicks being unable to sign him to any kind of non-guaranteed deal (including two-ways). New York needs a third center and has just one roster spot left. Trading Tyler Kolek for that center, however, would reshuffle the deck in a way that makes room to bring Kayil stateside.
Knicks have signaled a relative lack of faith in Kolek
Especially with the Knicks having just reached the proverbial mountaintop, Brown has the room to experiment even more during the 2026-27 regular season. The coach included a second-year Kolek in his opening night rotation, making clear to reporters that his defense would need to consistently shine through for him to play.
The Knicks sent Kolek down to the G-League just 11 days later. While the young guard found his way back onto the court, and truly starred in some big games, the team wound up dealing for Jose Alvarado at the trade deadline — the ultimate sign that they weren't willing to test their faith in Kolek at the playoff level.
Alvarado went on to save the day in two separate games against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, locking in his place in New York sports history. He and the Knicks agreed this offseason to a three-year extension, unsurprisingly on a team-friendly deal. If that leaves injury as the only way for Kolek to get some regular season burn, New York's front office could be best served flipping him for center depth.
Mike Brown is the type of coach to let Kayil sink or swim as a rookie
It's difficult for any young guard to come into the league ready to contribute to an NBA Championship-winning squad, no matter how easy Ajay Mitchell and Dylan Harper might make it look.
If neither Kolek nor Kayil is going to play regularly for the Knicks, and one can be used to fill a legitimate need going into the regular season, the answer might be right in front of the front office.
Brown is also the kind of coach that, when the opportunity opened up, would give Kayil some run on the court. The regular season is where Brown likes to learn as much as possible about as many members of his organization as possible. Finding out what Kayil is made of could be worth a shot, especially with how polished he looked in Las Vegas.
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