Knicks Have ‘Strong Rookie Class’

The New York Knicks have seen three of their four rookies suit up for action already this season.

While Kevin McCullar Jr. has been nursing an injury, fellow second-round picks Tyler Kolek and Ariel Hukporti, along with first-round prospect Pacome Dadiet have all seen action both in garbage time and in the G League with the Westchester Knicks.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes graded every rookie class to date and gave the Knicks a “B” for their efforts.

“As is typically the case for teams coached by Tom Thibodeau, rookies are on garbage-time-only duty,” Hughes writes.

“It’s worth wondering what all three of these players might be able to accomplish on a team willing to go deeper into its bench, as each has had moments of either intriguing potential or legitimate production in limited doses. Kolek, for example, ranks right between the more highly heralded Reed Sheppard and Donovan Clingan in Box Plus/Minus.

“Going by the eye test, noting how Kolek and Dadiet can shred G League competition and pricing in Thibs’ disdain for the bench, New York quietly has a strong rookie class.”

For the Knicks, there will be a need coming up for players like Kolek, Dadiet and Hukporti as they try to find a way to build a contender.

In order to have a good team in the NBA, there has to be players that are on some kind of bargain, and that’s exactly what the Knicks could have in these three rookies.

The Knicks need this trio to simply continue their development without any need to worry or panic as a potential playoff contender. Tom Thibodeau knows which buttons to press at the right time, and the Knicks have trust that he will bring these rookies along as he sees fit.

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