Knicks’ high-upside point guard could use Summer League as a catapult into prominent role

In the regular season last year, he showed his exceptional playmaking in the limited playing time he received. The 2024 NCAA assists leader had five games with five or more assists this past season with New York, and he limited the turnovers greatly.

He has firmly established himself as arguably the best passer on the team, but he still has a lot of skills offensively that he needs to develop. If he can become a strong scoring option for the Knicks as well, then he will have a strong case to earn some playing time under new head coach Mike Brown.

Kolek could answer a lot of questions regarding the bench

The Knicks have made some moves in free agency to address the lack of depth. They signed Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency, and they are still the mix for a backup guard as well.

However, if Kolek showcases a dominant skillset in Summer League, they might not need to add a backup guard for the rotation and can elevate Kolek into the rotation. On the other hand, New York may still want to add another guard to ensure they have plenty of depth.

Nevertheless, Kolek has a big opportunity to make a case for an increased role next season if he shows out during Summer League. The Knicks’ first game is set for Friday, July 10 at 6 P.M. EST against the Detroit Pistons.