Assuming the New York Knicks remain serious about guaranteeing the contracts of two veterans, Pacome Dadiet’s time with the team is drawing to a close. This raises a fair question: Why move him rather than Tyler Kolek?
The answer is all about the 15th spot.
While dumping either Dadiet or Kolek would give the Knicks enough room to keep both Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet, there is only one scenario in which New York has the flexibility to fill out the roster further in advance of the playoffs.
Pacome Dadiet’s larger salary makes all the difference
Dadiet is on the books for just over $2.8 million. Kolek checks in around $2.2 million. That $600,000 ends up making a world of difference.
Guaranteeing two veteran minimums will cost the Knicks $4.6 million ($2.3 million apiece). They also need to make room for a rookie minimum worth close to $1.3 million, a spot that will almost certainly go to Mohamed Diawara, the No. 51 pick from June’s draft. These three players come out to a combined $5.9 million.
New York is currently $3.7 million beneath the second apron, which it cannot cross. Dumping Kolek’s $2.2 million nudges that number just over the $5.9 million needed. The Knicks would be less than $50,000 away from the second apron.
Offloading Dadiet’s $2.8 million salary, on the other hand, leaves New York roughly $6.5 million beneath the second apron. After signing Shamet, Brogdon, and Diawara, it would have around $600,000 in breathing room.
That additional $550,000 or so will come in handy if the Knicks want to add a 15th man for the playoff run. In New York’s case, a veteran with experience counts for approximately $2.3 million against their cap. This salary gets prorated after the season begins, coming out to about $13,200 per day.
If the Knicks are only $50,000ish under the second apron after trading Kolek, they can pay a veteran for…three days. That’s nothing. With a $600,000 cushion following a Dadiet trade, however, they can afford 45 days’ worth of a prorated minimum.
This may not sound like much, but it’s a big deal. It allows the Knicks to be players on the buyout and 10-day-contract market, and ultimately add another body in time for the postseason. No, 15th men aren’t supposed to play a huge role, but having the extra player is insurance against something going terribly wrong for someone else.
Pacome Dadiet seems good as gone
Shipping out Dadiet nevertheless remains a debatable decision. New York would be giving up on a youngster for the right to add one additional veteran now, and another later. That’s risky business.
But the Knicks are about as win-now as it gets. They already made it clear Dadiet has no clear path to playing time, and he has not done anything during the preseason to change their minds.
If prioritizing this season alone is the goal, deepening the rotation with vets who may actually see the floor aligns with the vision. And since traveling down that path requires the Knicks to move on from one of their prospects no matter what, you can understand why they’re more likely to jettison the player whose exit increases their midseason optionality.