This summer, the defending champion New York Knicks have already shelled out new, multi-year deals to several backcourt talents, particularly Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson, and Landry Shamet.
Clearly, Tyler Kolek is looking to join them in securing a brand new bag.
Recently, a montage of Kolek putting in behind-the-scenes work this summer, both in the weight room and on the hardwood, has been found circulating across social media.
This is merely the latest instance where the point guard's offseason has been clipped and disseminated, as he was seen running drills earlier this summer that, by the looks of it, were focused on elevating his skills as an off-the-dribble scoring threat.
Kolek further established himself as a fan favorite in year two with the Knicks, and proved capable of producing at rather effective rates when called upon. Through 62 games played during the regular season, he posted 4.4 points and 2.7 assists on 38.6 percent shooting from the floor in 11.7 minutes per night.
Now, it seems evident that he's actively looking to take this level of production to new heights heading into year three, which conveniently happens to be a time when he's extension eligible.
During these months leading into training camp and the beginning of their title defense tour, Kolek is looking to make his upcoming contract decision with the Knicks an easy one for the club to make.
Knicks will need Tyler Kolek if Miles McBride rumblings come true
The Knicks could easily end up making the long-term retention of Kolek more of a priority through their own actions this coming season.
This summer, it's been widely speculated that the cash-strapped Knicks could be open to the possibility of trading soon-to-be sixth-year guard Miles McBride at some point in the near future.
McBride has established himself as a true two-way difference-maker and just posted impressive averages of 12.0 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds on 41.3 percent shooting from deep as a regular in New York's rotation.
With this, his next contract could balloon beyond Leon Rose's allotted spending range, with some believing it could be somewhere in the $12 to $15 million per-year range.
With this, unless a compromise agreement is reached on a new contract before the campaign, the 25-year-old is considered a realistic mid-season trade candidate, with The Athletic's James L. Edwards III recently noting that "it feels like we’re heading toward a departure."
Should this become a reality, it can only be assumed that Kolek's presence on the team would become even more valuable, both in the short and long term, as his services are bound to come at a far more affordable price.
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