r/NYKnicks • u/Delicious-Winter5771 • 2d ago
Which rookies stay?
I think Kolek is an immediate contributor, but Mccullar, pacome diadet, and hukporti seem to be in line for 2 ways or draft and stash. So is only Kolek going to be the one staying in?
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u/NYdude777 Wu Tang Knicks 2d ago
I mean there's still a good chance one or two get signed and traded in the Bridges deal so who knows.
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u/severinks 2d ago
Why? The actual Bridges deal is in the developing stages and they can move so many different parts to make Hartenstein work like sign and trading Burks or Precious
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u/NYdude777 Wu Tang Knicks 2d ago
Precious or Burks would have to agree to that. They are free to go to any team. why'd they agree to go to the Nets?
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u/kidkuro 90s Knicks Logo 2d ago
Chances are (and if it is even possible) Nets will likely move Burks again for a pick. Depending on what version of Burks they get he can net them a couple second round picks from a contender or playoff hopeful looking for a lil extra juice off the bench. A similar situation with Bojan since he's on the Nets too, at least for now.
Precious I feel could fit in on the Nets as they're rebuilding. I can see him being alright with it since he'll still be in NY and he'll definitely be given a larger role on that team. At 24 years old he'd fit their timeline, provide defense and rebounding that's competent, replace Finney-Smith who I'm assuming is also going to be moved at some point to get some more picks. If Precious was on the Nets chances are he'd be one of their starters, given the way their roster looks...I don't think they really have much other options, unless they trust one of their 19-22 year old rookie/sophomore forwards to start.
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u/MrICopyYoSht Nova Boys 2d ago
Precious can def start for the Nets. If he can develop his playmaking or at least his shooting, then he'd be able to stay in the League for a long time with his current skillset + new skill(s). His defense was good playing only 24 mins a game, I think at one point in the Sixers series he had Embiitch on lockdown.
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u/AstridsDad 2d ago
No clue right now. I think they're reviewing every option to keep Ihart and some of those options include trading the drafted players. We'll see, Kolek has definitely been hyped up but let's see what he can vs pros
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u/ephemeral2316 Bobby Shmurda 2d ago
I think we keep Kolek to run the backup point, and send Dadiet to Westchester. The other guys are trade fodder
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u/Urban_Introvert Nova Boys 2d ago
I think this too. The Knicks badly needed a backup facilitator and it showed during the playoffs. Deuce ran point at times but when Brunson sat, there was no one on the floor to orchestrate the offense. There's going to be some growing pains as a rookie but I envision Kolek in a role similar as Prigioni where he was a drive and dish guy (often passing TOO often) and shooting 3s (he was actually very efficient and should've taken more). What I loved about Prigioni was that the ball constantly moved when he was on the floor. Kolek seems to have that sneaky elusiveness to get by defenders and that's a good start to get the defense scrambling and lead to a series of passes to find the open man. I saw a bit of his college tape and my first thought was he'd be a perfect Popovich guy. I think the Knicks got a steal with Kolek and might just be a fan favorite. He's definitely a contributor on day 1 unless the Knicks get a veteran point guard.
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u/FermatsLastAccount Immanuel Quickley 2d ago
The Knicks badly needed a backup facilitator and it showed during the playoffs
I think just having Julius back, and adding Bridges would help with that a lot.
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u/Urban_Introvert Nova Boys 2d ago
Yes that will. I can also see similarities to that 2012-13 team where Kidd, Felton and Prigioni ensured the ball moved around freely while incorporating isos for Melo. It's going to be fun.
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u/onion-lord 1d ago
Is this Prigioni's alt?
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u/Urban_Introvert Nova Boys 1d ago
Haha, I’m a big fan of Prigi. Wished he was the 37 year old rookie on our team. We don’t have a pesky guy like him on defense. Pacers we’re pressing us full court all game and we couldn’t do it back to them. Prigi would’ve taken that assignment.
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u/ephemeral2316 Bobby Shmurda 1d ago
With Kidd and Felton at the 1 and 2 I never once worried about playmaking that season.
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u/StrongZucchini27 CAA 2d ago
i imagine w the speed of this staff’s development typically that kolek as well will be spending sometime in westchester. i think they want dadiet to stay abroad
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u/drewcarey69 Sleeping Leon 2d ago
Just from looking at his highlights I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hukporti providing the Sims role with a little more touch and less athleticism
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u/pantzking 2d ago
Bring Rokas over and let him and Kolek duke it out for the back up. No need to waste salary on old injured vets like Lowry or CP3 when we have more pressing matters at C.
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u/det8924 2d ago
I can see Kolek on the Deuce path where he’s gonna be in the “third string” 10-12 slot in the roster getting some backup minutes when injuries happen and then in 1-2 years he may be in line to take over a back end rotation role after he gets some time to develop maybe getting some G-League stints.
I think Kolek won’t crack the rotation this year unless there’s injuries but give him a year or two to work in the Knicks developmental system and I think he’s gonna make an impact.
If Rokas comes in the I think he’s gonna likely push out Kolek even more as there’s gonna be less opportunity even if there’s an injury. Either way I like the Kolek pick a lot. Even if he doesn’t have much of an impact year one or two I think at some point he’s gonna crack the rotation and be a positive contributor
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u/OutsideAd1823 2d ago
Correct. If Kolek performs well this summer we trade McBride for 2nd rounds and we sign Precious on a minimum contract
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u/Massive-Put4356 2d ago
Kolek will probably stay and maybe McCullar too, i think the french was drafted just because he won´t be paid this year coz he´s playing in Europe for one more season.
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u/THC3883 2d ago
A lot can happen so who knows if he even remains on the team, but I like what I've seen from Kolek. He's 23, so he's mature. He can shoot and pass well, and he seems to have a nice handle. The problem is that he's small and slow. He will be a liability on defense. But I like him and hope he works hard in the offseason and shows something at camp. Thibs expects young players to put in the time and practice. LGK!
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u/aziancook 1d ago
Imo, yes. Kolek will get minutes this season. When, IDK. Gotta learn the system and earn Thibs trust first
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u/cesarjulius 2d ago
if kolek were ready to contribute to even a bad nba roster right away, he would have gotten drafted in the first round, especially in a weak draft (although 15-58 were average, if not slightly better.)
now factor in our specific situation. thibs history with playing rookies. the fact that our roster/rotation is pretty much locked in, except a question mark at C that has nothing to do with kolek. donte moves to the bench, which means deuce is firmly a backup pg or is pushed out of the lineup, and no way can you say that kolek is a better pg at the nba level than deuce, even though he may project better.
i feel like dadiet was specifically chosen as the best available (wing) draft and stash. look at how crunched we are right now, and think about rokas being drafted before deuce. leon places higher value on draft and stashes than most other owners. they see draft and stashes as likely wastes, and they don’t help immediate needs. leon always thinks big picture, and stashes mean tradeable assets that stay off the books, and if they do come over, they’re “bonus rookies” that keep us youngish for years we don’t have a first round pick.
so even though pacome thinks he’s playing next year, i think he will play in summer league and short of dominating, he and hukporti stay overseas. kolek and mccullar start full time g league, and it would take BOTH great play at that level AND at least one injury for either of them to get on the court. if deuce regresses like grimes did after his (semi) breakout season, that could definitely change things for kolek.
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u/Alphius247 Marcus Camby 2d ago
There will be no regression with Deuce.
Just my gut. Wouldn’t surprise me if he put in more hours of work than anyone on the roster this offseason.
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u/cesarjulius 2d ago
well, obviously not right now, but i’ll assume he’s doing film and anything else he can while he recovers. when he’s good to go, he’s definitely gonna work. i think he has a summer camp, which probably complements his workout routine.
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u/patrickthunnus 2d ago
We'll get some confirmation in SL and then in TC but yes, that is likely the case. There is no urgency to have McCullar, Huk or Paco playing regular minutes. Only Kolek fills a need at backup PG.
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u/charlesfluidsmith 2d ago
The only one that has good odds to stay right now is Pacome.
If he wants to come over, he is coming over. There is nothing the Knicks can really do about that.
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u/NYdude777 Wu Tang Knicks 2d ago
Not true. If they drafted him to stash and save money even if he initiates the intent to play they can just denounce his rights.
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u/charlesfluidsmith 2d ago
I understand that.
My point is, if he insists on playing for the Knicks, he either plays for the Knicks or the Knicks just threw a first rounder into the trash.
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2d ago
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u/Low-Bug-4156 2d ago
Well that would make sense if keels was a first rounder lol they drafted pacome for the long term they not moving him
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u/ephemeral2316 Bobby Shmurda 2d ago
Getting playing time is a different story tho 😂
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u/charlesfluidsmith 2d ago
I don't agree with the idea that Thibs doesn't play rookies.
He does play rookies. If they can play.
If they are bums they don't, but he treats vets the same way.
Shake Milton is a decent player, but he doesn't give Thibodeaux what he wants, so he didn't get any time for us.
Now in the case of Pacome, the word is that he cannot play defense, if that's true he likely would find time to grab a few minutes.
But if he proved that he gave effort in practice and he learned the scheme, Thibs would certainly use another 6'9 defender.
Just last year he gave Toppin a few chances. But he wasn't ready to take advantage of them.
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u/QueensKid93 2d ago
Kolek is a lock for the bench. We need him more than pacomenrhese next two seasons. Pacone is long term injury depth and our G League Chanpionship leader.
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u/GoldenBoyRecords NOVA 2d ago edited 2d ago
I think Kolek , Pacome, and Mccullar all make the roster. Another guy you didn’t mention is Rokas who if he wants to come over could be sign /traded as well
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u/RonBakerLegend Ron Baker 2d ago
McCullar might be used in the Nets trade but Diadet and Kolek should make the starting day roster.
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u/Knicks-in-7 7 2d ago
Kolek reminds me of Payton Pritchard
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u/DKBattousai 2d ago
He reminds me of TJ McConnell actually. Feels like he can have that type of impact if he makes shots consistently and just becomes a pest on defense.
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u/322vette 2d ago
If Rokas is going to come over - this would be the year.