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The New York Knicks will kick off this year’s Summer League action with a game against the Charlotte Hornets at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
With three 2024 NBA draft picks active for Summer League play, plus players who have played for both teams recently on last year’s roster, the Knicks have some young prospects to keep an eye on this summer. Here are four players to keep an eye on during Summer League action.
Pacome Dadiet
Big wings don’t grow on trees. The Knicks are banking on the development of 18-year-old Dadiet. Dadiet, the only first-round pick in this year’s draft, has played professionally overseas in France and Germany.
Dadiet, a 6’8″ forward, has great potential and could become a depth piece for the Knicks in the future. He can hit shots on and off the ball. Dadiet as a finisher along with the second-round pick Tyler Kolek It sounds tempting
Dadiet needs to become a more complete player, especially if he ever gets minutes on the field. Tom Thibodeau-A team led by Dadiet. It will be important to see how Dadiet defends on the perimeter, if he can fight for rebounds and grow as a secondary player. That is exactly what the Summer League is for.
Tyler Kolek
Outside Jalen BrunsonNew York doesn’t have a traditional ball-handling point guard on its roster, so Kolek could see some minutes this upcoming season if he gets hurt. Kolek could be an impact player in the Summer League.
The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game in his senior season at Marquette. His skills as a passer out of the pick-and-roll and as a finisher near the rim on drives should be on display. Kolek also shot 38.8 percent from 3-point range.
The Knicks gave Kolek $6.6 million in guaranteed moneyan NBA record for a second-round pick. During games, Kolek’s defense at the point of attack, as well as his shooting from the perimeter, are skills to be reckoned with during the Summer League.
Ariel Hukporti
In the Thibodeau era, Knicks centers have a simple job: protect the paint, attack the offensive glass, run the floor and make good blocks. Without much competition on the Summer League roster, the 6-foot-11 Hukporti should provide some firepower at the five position in upcoming games.
A second-round pick, the Knicks recently… Signed Hukporti to a two-way contract. He’s likely to spend a lot of time in the NBA G-League with the Westchester Knicks next season.
Rocks Jokubaitis
Jokubaitis might be the most polished player on New York’s Summer League roster. Selected 34th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Lithuanian guard has spent the past few years with EuroLeague side FC Barcelona. Jokubaitis won the EuroLeague Rising Star Award in 2022.
The 23-year-old point guard should see some time during the Summer League, but since Kolek was recently selected in the second round, he may not have as many minutes available. Perhaps the Knicks’ Summer League head coach Yoshimoto Dice Allows Jokubaitis and Kolek to play together.
Although the left-handed guard will join the Knicks for the Summer League, it appears that Jokubaitas will not be joining the team permanently. He is close to returning to Lithuanian basketball club Zalgiris Kaunas, according to Basket News.