New York Knicks made interesting decisions this past draft, trading down several times. Now, the Knicks have to decide what to do with the players they eventually selected in the 2026 draft.
Knicks Have Decisions to Make On 2026 Draft Picks; What Are Their Options?
New York has decided to run things back after winning its first NBA championship in 53 seasons. The Knicks entered the offseason facing financial constraints and essentially a directive from owner James Dolan to not go into the second apron. While the Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics and Ariel Hukporti to the Philadelphia 76ers, they were able to extend Jose Alvarado and re-sign Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara, and Jordan Clarkson.
Rate the Knicks’ Offseason (so far):
Lost:
– Mitchell Robinson (FA)
– Ariel Hukporti (FA)Added:
+ Andre Drummond (FA)
+ Tyler Nickel (Draft)Re-Signed:
+ Mohamed Diawara (FA)
+ Landry Shamet (FA)
+ Jordan Clarkson (FA)
+ Jose Alvarado (FA) pic.twitter.com/dyKu2zf37Y— SleeperKnicks (@SleeperKnicks) July 9, 2026
As a result of these transactions, the Knicks will have at least 12 returning players from last season. They have also replaced Robinson with Andre Drummond.
New York has one open spot and is $3.27 million below the second apron. There are still a few players on the Knicks championship squad who are still on the open market: Jeremy Sochan, Kevin McCullar Jr., Trey Jemison and Dillon Jones. Their biggest need is to add size as Diawara and Drummond are the only frontcourt players on the bench.
The Knicks have been linked to Jonas Valanciunas, who was waived by the Denver Nuggets to save money, and Micah Potter, who was waived by Indiana after the Pacers inked Larry Nance Jr.
Knicks 2026 Draft Picks
The Knicks traded down three times in the 2026 draft before finally landing Tyler Nickel and Jack Kayil. Kayil was the No. 39 pick overall, and Nickel was the 47th selection. Both players have played well for the Knicks summer league squad and are making a case for a roster spot this year, whether on the 15-man or 18-man roster. The Knicks still have all three of their two-way spots open.
Kayil entered the 2026 draft very raw. However, the Knicks decided to take a chance on the 20-year-old German point guard after trading down from pick No. 31 with the Houston Rockets. The Knicks also received Mojave King and Ugonna Onyenso (No. 53 pick in 2026) while sending Nick Martinelli (No.55) and Bruce Thornton (No. 31) to the Rockets. They sent Onyenso to Detroit for cash.
Kayil has impressed the Knicks with his play after sitting out their first game in Vegas. Kayil has been aggressive offensively and has demonstrated surprising physicality on the defensive end along with some playmaking chops. In two games, he has produced 31 points on 40.7% shooting from the field and five threes at a 35.7% clip. He also has added six rebounds, seven assists, and five steals.
Kayil’s status with the Knicks is currently up in the air. Kayil is still under contract with Serbian club Mega Superbet, and there were rumblings that the Knicks were thinking about stashing him overseas. However, he has made it known that he has no desire to return to Europe.
“My goal is to play in the NBA,” Kayil said after his summer league. “That’s why I went into the draft.”
The Knicks do have options. The Knicks can disregard Kayil’s desires and keep him overseas, which is pretty much a non-deal. They can also pay his “buy-out” with Mega Superbet and sign him to a two-way contract. A final option would be for the Knicks to pay the “buy-out” and stash him with Westchester without signing him to a contract. This last option also seems unlikely, as they have open roster spots and he has shown flashes of being ready to play in the NBA later this season.
Like Kayil, the Knicks acquired Nickel via trade. In a four-team trade, the Knicks traded out of the first round to get the 47th pick (Nickel), Melvin Ajinca, a 2030 2nd round draft pick and a 2032 2nd round draft pick, along with cash, Chinemelu Elonu, and Louis Labeyrie.
Nickel is a late-bloomer known for his elite motor and shooting gravity. Nickel has shot the ball well during his three summer league games and shown some defensive ability. He has scored in double-figures twice and averages 14.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.3 triples with a shooting split of 39.5/44.8/00.0.
“I feel like I’m a mix of different guys with my size, strength and shooting ability,” Nickel said when asked how he envisions himself in the NBA. “I feel really comfortable shooting off the move, so guys like Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Sam Hauser … and then I also have my own way.”
While Nickel is demonstrating he can shoot it at the NBA level, don’t expect him to sign a standard deal. Rather, the Knicks will likely ink him to a two-way deal. He is projected to spend most of the season in the G-League, but if he beats out Pacome Dadiet in training camp, things may change.
How Other Knicks Summer Leaguers Are Faring
Speaking of Dadiet, he is entering his third year with the Knicks after being a surprise first-round pick in 2024. Dadiet did show improvement in the G-League this past season, but has only appeared in 47 games with the Knicks. He has struggled with efficiency in his two summer league appearances this year.
Dillon Jones, who was on a two-way contract with the Knicks, is once again a candidate for a minor league deal. The third-year pro, who has 61 games of NBA experience, had a huge game against the Pistons in the Knicks’ last contest but has struggled shooting the ball overall.
Liam Robbins is also a possible two-way option, especially if the Knicks don’t sign a big for their last 15-man spot. The 7-footer, who has 45 games of NBA experience, averages 6.3 points on 47.1% shooting from the field, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. But turnovers have been a problem.
Diawara has been the biggest disappointment of the summer league for the Knicks as he is expected to play a bigger role with Robinson and Hukporti leaving as free agents. The 21-year-old is likely out for the remainder of the summer league after injuring a finger and sitting out the team’s third game. He totaled seven points on 1 of 14 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds (2 offensive) in 49 minutes of action.
Photo Credit: Brad Penner, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
