Eventually, the Knicks will need one of them to break through.
Mohamed Diawara is the most likely.
It’s been a while — really, since Miles McBride — since a Knicks draft pick has developed into a consistent mainstay in the rotation.
A big part of that is due to the Knicks not having high picks and often trading out of the first round entirely. But in the apron era, finding value in young, cheap players is critical.
Pacôme Dadiet has done nothing to establish himself the past two years.
Tyler Kolek has shown flashes and become a fan favorite, but he continues to be buried in the pecking order and the Knicks clearly were not comfortable trusting him to be the primary backup point guard last year, trading for Jose Alvarado.
Kevin McCullar Jr. is hanging on with a two-way deal. Ariel Hukporti was used only in emergencies last year and departed for Philadelphia during the offseason.
Diawara, more than any of the others, had spells during his first NBA regular season in which he had a sustained spot in head coach Mike Brown’s rotation.
During the postseason, though, he was on the outside looking in as the rotation condensed.
“We have a great team with big players, so if I was in the rotation and I’m not in the rotation anymore, I think it’s just part of the game for the whole team,” Diawara said after practice Saturday. “I just gotta [play] my role, especially as a rookie, that was my first year. I wasn’t really thinking about that, I was just ready to take any opportunity. I wasn’t thinking about not playing and stuff.”
Diawara, when given playing time, showcased an offensive game that was a bit more polished than expected when the Knicks drafted him with the No. 51 overall pick in 2025.
At 6-foot-9 with long arms, he already is a strong defender with the type of frame that offers exciting potential.
“I think he has endless upside,” OG Anunoby said. “He’s very talented, can do a lot: shoot, defend, pass. He can do everything; a really versatile player. I’m excited to see him grow. I think he’s going to keep getting better and better, so I’m really excited for him.”
Diawara identified two areas in which he most needs to improve: physicality and 3-point shooting.
“Now that I know a little bit more the physicality that I need in the league, how I need to prepare my body,” Diawara said. “… I think now that I have a year in the league, it’s a little bit easier to see how I can prepare for the new season.”
There is clear belief in Diawara’s development, as the Knicks made it a priority to bring him back with a four-year, $11.2 million contract this past offseason.
He struggled in summer league, however, where he also suffered an injury to his left ring finger that required a minor procedure.
He’s fine now and already showing signs of growth.
A Year 2 breakout could cement Diawara as a Knicks mainstay.
“Last year, you could see he was a little jittery when he was out there,” Brown said Saturday, “because he didn’t quite know what to do, and he knew when he did it, he just had to go hard. So a lot of times, he would just play at one speed. There’s a comfort level now, so his cadence is better, especially offensively. His ability to communicate on the floor is at a little bit of a higher level, because he has a better feel not just offensively, but defensively — not just what he should do, but what he should be telling his teammates to do, especially if he’s on the backside or bottom side of the defense, because he sees everything in front of him.
“He’s one of those players that needs to take a step forward.”
Given how much money the Knicks have invested in their starting lineup — and with extension decisions to make regarding Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and McBride — the bench is composed of budget options or veterans on minimum deals that the Knicks expect to perform above their pay grade, which they certainly did during their championship run last year.
It would be extremely helpful, with the Knicks operating under an edict from owner James Dolan to stay under the second apron, if Diawara becomes part of that group.
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