The New York Knicks are exploring a trade involving Tyler Kolek or Pacôme Dadiet to clear cap space for Bruce Brown, according to the New York Post. The move would let the Knicks keep both Brown and James Wiseman on the roster as they finalize their 14th and final spot before the regular season.
The Post reported that Kolek and Dadiet are “the most logical trade pieces” for New York, with Kolek viewed as having more trade value than Dadiet. Both players hold team options for next season with no progress toward extensions, according to the report.
What Was Reported
Bruce Brown holds the best NBA résumé of any player on a nonguaranteed deal in Knicks camp, the Post reported, pointing to his role as a key contributor on the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 championship team. Keeping both Brown and Wiseman would require New York to make a trade to get under the second tax apron, according to the report.
The Sporting News reported separately that Brown was expected to sign a standard roster contract with the Knicks but had to settle for an Exhibit 10 deal because of the second apron restrictions. If added to the roster, Brown would receive a $3.5 million salary, per that report. The outlet noted that few teams showed interest in Brown as a free agent, with the second apron cited as a common reason.
Tyler Kolek is earning $2.3 million this season, while Dadiet earns roughly $700,000 more, according to the Post. Kolek appeared in the rotation for stretches last season before Jose Alvarado took over his minutes and Kolek piled up DNPs. In four preseason games through Thursday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors, Kolek shot 36%.
What The Team Has Said
Knicks head coach Mike Brown, who coached Wiseman as a top assistant with the Golden State Warriors, praised the 25-year-old center’s upside. “He’s young, he’s talented. He’s raw, still.
I think he’s still trying to establish a foothold in this league. But with his God-given attributes he has in terms of athleticism and length and quickness, [it] can bode well for him on both ends of the floor. He hasn’t even reached his prime,” Brown said, per the New York Post.
Brown also spoke highly of Bruce Brown’s track record. “Bruce has been through a lot with a lot of different teams at a pretty high level. His toughness, his experience, his feel, all those things, he’s a winner.
It seems like every place he’s gone, he’s won. All those things can add a lot to our program, and he’s versatile on both ends of the floor,” the coach said.
Mike Brown also addressed Kolek’s game directly, saying, “He’s skilled offensively. He can shoot it. I think he could score at all three levels.
Is he Jalen? No. Is he that type of scorer?
No. But he has the ability to shoot the 3, whether it’s catch and shoot or off the dribble. He’s working extremely hard on that.
He’s got a decent pull-up game, a little bit better floater game than the pull-up game, and he’s crafty enough to get to the rim. He’s a better defender than what he was, in my opinion, when we first got here.”
Why It Would Matter
If the Knicks trade Kolek or Dadiet to retain Brown, they would add a championship-tested guard with positional versatility. James L. Edwards III of The Athletic wrote that the Knicks should strongly consider adding Brown given his title experience, according to the Sporting News. SNY’s Ian Begley said Brown would be a value addition who would provide veteran depth in case of injury if New York made a trade to keep him.
Wiseman has emerged as the front-runner for the Knicks’ final roster spot since training camp opened, the Post reported. He scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s preseason loss to the Raptors. The former No. 2 overall pick was waived by the Indiana Pacers last season. New York also needs a third center and is likely to use its 14th roster spot toward that need, per the Sporting News.
What’s Next
The Knicks face an Oct. 19 deadline to complete a trade if they want to keep both Wiseman and Bruce Brown on the roster, according to the New York Post. New York earlier waived centers Drew Eubanks and Tony Bradley along with wing Ochai Agbaji on nonguaranteed contracts ahead of its preseason finale. Eubanks’ roster spot was effectively sealed by a torn pectoral muscle, per the report.
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