Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks

The Knicks Have to Choose Between Their Young Players. Here’s Who Goes.

July 23, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Knicks have four young players on cheap contracts, and they almost certainly need to trade for a center. The question is which of those young players should be kept, which should be stashed for development, and which should be sent out in a deal. Host XJ runs through each one with a simple framework: play, stash, or trade.

Tyler Kolek is the best passer on the team, and that makes him worth keeping

Kolek is the most polarizing of the four. Some fans see a non-factor; XJ sees the best traditional point guard and passer on the roster. "His passing and floor vision absolutely pops off the screen," he says, and he argues that Kolek brings something no other Knick does at a significantly higher level. Jalen Brunson is an underrated passer, and Karl-Anthony Towns is an elite passer for a big, but neither is in Kolek's tier as a pure distributor.

The numbers back it up. In nearly 800 possessions together last season, the Kolek-Towns lineup posted a plus-16.3 net rating per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. Kolek hits Towns as he attacks spots, not after he settles, which gives Towns multiple options. That rapport matters because Towns will play heavy minutes with the second unit.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:08) **The Core Thesis: The Knicks Must Choose Among Their Young Assets** - The host frames the episode around the unavoidable trade-off: with no backup center options left in free agency and a need to upgrade the roster, the Knicks will have to trade one or more of their young players. He introduces a "Play, Stash, or Trade" game to evaluate each one.
2 (03:55) **Tyler Kolek: The Team's Best Passer and a "Play"** - The host makes his most detailed case, arguing that Kolek's elite passing is a unique and irreplaceable skill on the Knicks' roster, making him too valuable to trade despite concerns about his ball-handling under pressure.
3 (14:49) **Mouhamed Diabate: High Potential, But No Need to Rush a "Stash"** - The host argues that while the 21-year-old has immense potential and an incredibly team-friendly contract, he is still too raw to be a reliable rotation player, making patience the best strategy.
4 (26:00) **Pacome Dadiet: The Trade Chip** - The host argues that Dadiet, while only 20 years old with archetypal potential, has shown too little in his limited NBA minutes to be considered a core piece. His trade value is highest now, before his contract becomes an expiring deal.
5 (29:10) **Tyler Nickel: The Rookie Ready to Play** - The host makes his most passionate case, arguing that Nickel's elite movement shooting and feel for the game are NBA-ready skills that will create immediate spacing and value, unlike the other young wings.
6 (33:03) **Final Recap and Call to Action** - The host summarizes his four verdicts (Kolek: Play, Diabate: Stash, Dadiet: Trade, Nickel: Play) and invites the audience to share their own rankings in the comments.
7 Standout Quotes

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

The New York Knicks face a pivotal offseason decision: which young assets are off limits in a league where backup centers command premium value? Can Tyler Kolek’s elite passing make him indispensable, or does his ball-handling under pressure leave lingering doubts about his playoff readiness?

XJ assesses the Knicks’ roster with a game of “Play, Stash, or Trade.” Insights center on Tyler Kolek’s vision, floor management, and surprising defensive contributions, while also weighing the development trajectory of players like Mo Diawara, Tyler Nickel, and Pacome Dadiet. XJ discusses points such as the challenges of filling center depth, the unique skill sets within the Knicks’ young core, and what it might take to land a rotation-ready upgrade. Don’t miss this analysis of the Knicks’ evolving asset strategy as they gear up for next season.

00:00 — Which young player will get traded??

02:52 — Tyler Kolek analysis and verdict

11:01 — Fan Duel Ad Break

12:23 — Mo Diawara analysis and verdict

19:35 — BetterHelp Ad Break

21:41 — Pacome Dadiet analysis and verdict

26:08 — Tyler Nickel analysis and verdict

Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta; Steve Roberts - Imagn Images

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