Tyler Kolek entered training camp emphasizing the importance of getting into the paint, being more of a scoring threat, and just generally cranking up his aggression. If his initial approach during the New York Knicks’ first preseason game is any indication, the 25-year-old might give head coach Mike Brown something to think about when the results start to matter.
Late in the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers, Kolek received a hand-off from Andre Drummond. After a nanosecond’s hesitation, he put the ball on the deck with his left hand, turned the corner, dribbled all the way to the basket, and scored at the rim.
This was one of five shots Kolek attempted in nearly 17 minutes of action. And it was, by far, the most important.
More aggression out of drives would be a game-changer for Kolek
Many harp on Kolek’s outside shooting when evaluating his utility to this Knicks roster. While that’s fair, the concern is also exaggerated.
Or rather, the concern is misplaced. Kolek drilled 37.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot treys last season, as well as 39 percent of his pull-up triples.
Volume is his Achilles heel. Averaging fewer than six three-point attempts per 36 minutes won’t cut it for someone who, despite his playmaking talent, will be in lineups that don’t always allow him to dominate the ball. But that comes back to his overall aggression.
Kolek’s scoring out of drives has more room for improvement. Just 31.2 percent of his downhill attacks last season ended in points. Out of 171 players who finished at least as many drives as him, this mark ranked…168th.
Beyond that, the momentary display of rim pressure was encouraging. Kolek has peaked at the 30th percentile of attempts near the basket per 100 possessions since entering the league, according to BBall Index. Getting to the rack in the half-court would qualify as a fundamental change—the kind that could be the difference between regular minutes, and remaining a sparingly used reserve.
Kolek has a path into a crowded Knicks rotation
Neither Kolek nor Mohamed Diawara is expected to get much court time this season. New York’s full-strength rotation remains too deep.
For Kolek specifically, he finds himself behind Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, and Jose Alvarado in the bench-player pecking order. Given the collective combination of defense (all three) and long-range volume (McBride and Shamet) from this trio, the third-year floor general isn’t moving up the hierarchy without noticeable improvement.
Juicing his scoring aggression is that noticeable improvement. As much as Kolek’s passing might be divine, the quickest path to minutes on this roster is providing value without dominating the ball.
If Kolek proves that he can turn the corner off hand-offs from Karl-Anthony Towns and Drummond, while draining threes off Jalen Brunson kickouts, he has a chance to become more important to the rotation than one of Alvarado or McBride. Both are better defenders, but Kolek’s passing would be a tiebreaker in plenty of matchups.
Time will tell whether New York’s pass-first floor general can toggle between that, and an off-guard mindset. Kolek finished with a usage rate south of 11 in his first preseason game, which is low even for him.
Still, his first bucket of the year provided a glimpse into what it’s like when he attacks with more intention. If he can turn that flash into a regular occurrence, the Knicks’ rotation could look different because of it.
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