Knicks Should Make Rookie Guard Available for Trade

The New York Knicks have an interesting situation regarding the bench. While the team sits third in the Eastern Conference, and among the top playoff teams, the Knicks are still a tier below title contenders like the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

This is because the Knicks still have holes to fix regarding the makeup of the roster. New York has struggled to find a legitimate option to back up Karl-Anthony Towns at the center position, as Mitchell Robinson continues to recover from ankle surgery. On top of this, the bench as a whole has lacked, with Miles McBride and Cameron Payne being the only impactful contributors at the guard positions.

The Knicks have this disparity, yet they roster multiple rookies who have split time between New York and the Westchester Knicks, the team’s G League affiliate. After winning the G League Winter Showcase, it’s clear they have solid rookies in Tyler Kolek, Ariel Hukporti, and Pacome Dadiet. Dadiet, in particular, should not be off the table in trade talks should the Knicks pursue bench help.

Drafted 25th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Dadiet has shown flashes of a promising NBA player but hasn’t received much opportunity in Tom Thibodeau’s system. It makes sense because why would you give a rookie rotation minutes on a title-hopeful team? In the preseason, Dadiet averaged 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds (55.6% FG) in two games, playing a total of 45 minutes (22.5 minutes per game).

If Thibodeau isn’t going to give Dadiet minutes, and the Knicks are looking to contend for a title with a short bench, it makes sense for New York to open up its option on the trade market regarding depth. Many rebuilding teams are selling veteran talent in exchange for young prospects and draft capital, which is exactly what the Knicks have.

The Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and Utah Jazz are all names to watch as suitors for the Knicks amid NBA trade season. Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jonas Valanciunas, and Jordan Clarkson are all options for New York, as any one of them would make the team significantly better. To make it happen, Dadiet would likely be one of the names involved.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!