I don't know what they're going to do, but they have a few options.
Zenzibar wrote:Is Kolek on the bubble, giving 19 year old Dink Pate a chance to grab his spot?
Nope. If Kolek had a non guaranteed deal then he might be on the bubble or in the discussion for a two-way, but he has a guaranteed contract for this coming season and 26-27 too. If they cut him, they still have to pay him and they'd need to pay his replacement. He's here to stay unless he's traded. Dink has a 2-way deal (reportedly), so maybe they can use Dink here and there. How much they use him on the NBA team remains to be seen. I think Dink is an interesting talent, but I don't know how much he's going to play.
Zenzibar wrote:
Is selling high on Kolek, the right time?
Again, this is a NOPE. You can't sell high on a player who's value is down, and I'm not sure there ever was a time to "sell high" on Kolek, but if there was, it would have been last year, or this year at the draft. Right now, Kolek doesn't have any value. He could be used in a trade to make the salaries match up, but that's not "selling high"
Zenzibar wrote:
Is Delon Wright the new backup?
I like Delon Wright. I thought that, at times, he looked better than Payne last year at a backup PG. But right now he's not on the roster, so he's not anybody's backup. NY could bring him back, but I think they're still exploring other PG options - reportedly inquiring about Chris Paul or Ben Simmons, but whether either of those guys signs for the Vet minimum remains to be seen.
They have one vet minimum spot left and I think it's going to go to a back-up PG, given that they have a few players who could serve as back up wings (Dadiet, McCullar, Diawara). Maybe that spot goes to Delon Wright, but I think he's not their first choice.
Zenzibar wrote:
Nnaji & McCuller Jr. knocking for the 2-way contracts?
Teams can have 3 two-way contracts, so the question is, who gets those. McCullar or Diawara could get 2nd round pick minimum deals, or they could get two-ways. Nnaji is also in the mix and if the report that Dink got a 2 way, they have 2 spots left, and more than 2 candidates.
Nnaji looks like he's worth keeping and I think he'll get a two-way.
McCullar could get a 2nd round pick contract, but they could presumably keep him on a two-way as well or start him on a two way and convert him to a 2nd round pick contract like they did with Huk last year.
and Diawara was a nice surprise this summer league and looks like a keeper as well, but two-way, Euro Stash or 2nd round pick contract are all potential options.
Zenzibar wrote:
Has 24 year old MarJon Beauchamp's ready defense made a good play for the final vet slot?
Beauchamp was able to score against summer league defenses, but he shot 8 for 30 from 3. 26%. For the type of player he is, he needs to hit his 3s more consistantly. He's a 15th man, if that. There's no chance, no chance at all, that he gets the final vet spot. Players like Delon Wright or Landy Shamet or even Cam Payne are all ahead of Beauchamp for that final roster spot and I don't know if NY will bring back any of them either.
Beauchamp has a shot at a 2-way spot, but here's the problem. NY has decisions to make on what to do with their young players.
Nnaji left Europe, he left his team. He's a big strong guy, just 20 years old. He might be worth holding onto and a two-way is the most likely way that NY would hold onto him.
Dink already signed a two-way because NY wants to hold onto him. I don't think he'll play much this year, but NY wants to keep his rights.
and the final 2-way, it could go to Diawara, and that's 3, meaning, Beauchamp is odd-man out.
McCullar could also get another two-way like last year, or they could give him a rookie deal, but if he's offered a two-way, then who gets promoted to 2nd round pick rookie contract? Maybe Diawara? Whatever they decide, I don't see room for Beauchamp, unless Diawara is sent back to Europe to stash him for a year, but given that he looks like he could maybe contribute this year, at least, as a hustle player with long reach, 11th man type, I don't see them stashing Diawara for a year.
So Beauchamp is probably out, unless they stash Nnaji or Diawara in Europe and stashing Diawara would lead to fan outrage right now. Stashing Nnaji might be more reasonable, except, as I understand it, Nnaji bailed on his Euro team, so that might not work either.
I think the final 2 roster spots will go to McCullar & a vet . . . not sure who
and the two-ways will go to Diawara, Nnaji & Dink, which isn't ideal, having 2 20 year olds and 1 19 year old on two-way deals, as it's sometimes better to have more experience there to be used as needed. But that's my guess. Those 3.
I think Mike Brown will look at Deuce as a back-up PG this year. He's not really a PG, but quicker outlet passes, maybe that could work, or maybe the find another vet. Deuce might be better in a more open offense, more passing and running, less methodical like Thibs used. Or they could sign a PG (Chis Paul would be a steal, but I think he wants to play on the west coast).
Other questions are going to be how many minutes, players like Dadiet or McCullar or Huk might earn. With the big men both healthy (KAT & Mitch) and Yabusele in the mix, how many minutes Huk will get remains to be seen.
Dadiet could be used as an option to not play Mikal or Hart as many minutes as they played last year, but how good Dadiet will be at this level, at his young age . . . also remains to be seen. The Knicks have some young talent, which is nice, but a potential playoff team with all those 19 and 20 year olds holding roster spots might not be ideal.
Kolek is on the team, but for now, I think he's out of the rotation, unless he tightens up his game and starts hitting his 3s. But I don't know anything, this is just one silly fan's long winded opinion.
All that said, it's a nice roster. A new coach. They seem to draft pretty well. Clarkson & Yabu were nice additions. I'm curious how Clarkson & McBride will share time, as they fill similar roles. Clarkson is a more aggressive scorer, but I'm not certian he's actually better than Deuce.
Maybe he'll make JB feel tall.