Knicks Address Pacome Dadiet Situation Amidst NBA Return

New York Knicks rookie Pacome Dadiet appears set to engage in one of the most time-honored metropolitan traditions: commuting.

Shortly after the Knicks wrapped up a 118-85 shellacking of the New Orleans Pelicans, the team announced that their newest first-round pick would be recalled from Westchester. Dadiet had been sent to the G League Knicks on Saturday and partook in the team’s weekend-closing showdown against the Capital City Go-Go. Though inactive, he was later seen on the bench during Sunday’s NBA game, having made the trip from White Plains.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau hinted that Dadiet will split his time between Manhattan and Westchester County before the game, seemingly foreshadowing a string of call-ups and send-downs that will afford him as much time as possible.

“It’s situational, an opportunity to get some playing time, take advantage of it that way,” Thibodeau said in video from Ben Oppenheimer of WFUV. ”He’ll be back with us for practice. The beauty of it is the set-up: we both practice in the same building, so we’ll try to take advantage of that.”

Both the NBA and G League Knicks clubs prep at Madison Square Garden’s official training facility in Tarrytown. Dadiet came off the bench against the Washington Wizards’ affiliate on Sunday, scoring 13 points, pulling in six rebounds, and swiping six steals in a 129-127 defeat. Though interrupted by the G League Winter Showcase in Orlando later this month, Westchester has six home games scheduled between Dec. 11 and 30.

From the moment he was drafted, the 19-year-old Dadiet appeared to be a project pick thanks to his youth and the Knicks’ packed backcourt affairs. The 25th overall pick of June’s draft has averaged 1.9 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10 NBA appearances, most of that consisting of mop-up duty though he was a fringe member of the rotation while Miles McBride and Cameron Payne each dealt with injuries.

Dadiet will presumably be on the bench for the New York Knicks’ Tuesday game against Orlando (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT) while Westchester returns to action against Toronto’s squad, Raptors 905, on Friday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/Tubi).

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