Tyler Kolek’s emergence is creating havoc for opponents. Soon enough, it’s going to incite a little chaos for the New York Knicks—in the form of a backcourt-minutes crunch.
Distributing playing time isn’t much of an issue at the moment for head coach Mike Brown. Both Landry Shamet (shoulder) and Deuce McBride (ankle) are on the bench. Their absences (largely) laid the groundwork for Kolek to become a prominent part of the rotation.
The dilemma in which New York finds itself is punctuated by a simple question: What happens when everyone comes back?
This is no doubt a problem the Knicks will welcome. But it’s a problem all the same. And judging by their previous interest in landing another point guard, it’s also one they did not see coming.
Tyler Kolek’s emergence could leave somebody on the outside looking in
Though it isn’t immediately clear when New York’s guard rotation will be at full strength, it’s on track for oversaturation. McBride is seemingly on the verge of returning, and according to SNY’s Ian Begley, there remains a “strong belief/optimism that Shamet could avoid having surgery” on his sprained right shoulder.
Once those two are ready to rock, the Knicks will have five guards deserving of significant roles: Jalen Brunson, Jordan Clarkson, Kolek, McBride, and Shamet. Juggling that many worthwhile names isn’t going to be easy. Especially when you consider Brunson is the mother of all negotiables.
The All-NBA staple and MVP candidate is going to soak up 35-plus minutes on most nights. That leaves the Knicks with 61 minutes’ worth of backcourt reps to dole out, a lion’s share of which will be gobbled up by Mikal Bridges/Josh Hart as part of the Knicks’ starting unit.
Mike Brown can alleviate some congestion by cutting loose more three-guard looks. Yours truly isn’t sure how to feel about the Brunson-Kolek-Clarkson minutes we’ve seen, but the Brunson-Kolek-McBride trio is a potential skeleton key that might unlock all sorts of dynamic lineups.
This still only gets the Knicks so far. When everyone is available, Clarkson, Kolek, McBride, and Shamet all have a case as 20-plus-minute-per-game rotation members. Short of uncorking lineups that don’t feature a big man, there is no way for New York to placate everyone.
The Knicks may use the trade deadline to clear this up
To be sure, the Knicks don’t have to move one of their guards strictly because of Kolek’s emergence. But it’s bound to be on the table.
Out of the four reserves, only Kolek himself appears to be safe—a wild development that makes all the sense in the world, not only because of how he’s playing, but how affordable he is through the 2027-28 season (team option).
Injuries could, of course, make the Knicks’ decision for them. Shamet’s timeline for return to play is hazy at best. And failing that, something always seems to just come up. Case in point: Hart suffered a right ankle sprain against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day, and is already going to miss at least one game.
Leaving it up to fate, and even individual matchups, will yet again still only get New York so far.
In a twist nobody predicted when Malcolm Brogdon suddenly retired before the season, the Knicks are suddenly tracking toward a luxurious amount of backcourt depth. It’s entirely thanks to Kolek, as well as Shamet. And if this keeps up, it’s absolutely going to influence how they approach the trade deadline—not just with who they target, but who they ship out.