Knicks Stashing Jack Kayil Is a Smart Decision

The New York Knicks walked away with two draft picks from the 2026 NBA draft, in Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel, both second-rounders who they hope can make an impact on low-cost contracts.

With the Knicks trying to stay away from the vaunted second apron, they could use rookies like Kayil and Nickel to fill out the rest of their roster and potentially play minutes throughout the regular season. In the case of Kayil, the German point guard told reporters after being picked that he’s not a draft-and-stash guy and would be with the team.

"My plan is to stay here and get into the organization and keep growing with them," Kayil said, via SNY's Phillip Martinez. However, it appears that the Knicks have other ideas heading into NBA free agency.

On Tuesday, Ian Begley of SNY reported that New York envisions Kayil staying overseas and playing with his German club next season.

While this might be disappointing for some New York fans, especially after what he said on draft night, the move helps the Knicks financially as they have a few RFAs to bring back, and there’s still the pursuit of Robinson.

Knicks are making a calculated gamble by keeping Kayil overseas for another year

Any time fans hear about an international player staying overseas, the immediate thought is that the player might never come over to the States to play in the NBA. And they aren’t wrong to feel this way, considering we’ve seen numerous guys never come over and their draft rights become trade fodder.

That said, as it involves Kayil, it would’ve been tough for him to see playing time this upcoming season, given the glut of guards the Knicks have. New York just re-signed Jose Alvarado to a three-year deal. They also still have Tyler Kolek, who showed some flashes during the regular season, and the hope is that his development takes off.

However, one could make the case that the Knicks could’ve given the German point guard a two-way deal, allowing him to stay with the team and also get valuable reps in the G League in Westchester.

But now the Knicks could use a two-way spot on another player or even Nickel, who might have a tough time getting minutes as a rookie early on.

Mike Brown, his coaching staff and the Knicks’ front office would’ve gotten the chance to see Kayil up close and work directly with their G League team on his development. If you remember, this past season, we saw the Knicks send Kolek, Dadiet, and Diawara all to the G League at one point.

The G League afforded them valuable reps and a chance to play rather than just sitting on the bench and playing in garbage time.

Nonetheless, if the Knicks don’t plan for Kayil to be a contributor or a developmental player this upcoming season, he should stay with his German club, Alba Berlin. At least that way he'll get some live game action to continue developing.

This past season, Kayil averaged 12.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per game. He shot 29.2 percent from beyond the arc, which is a glaring concern, considering that he shot 36.8 percent in 2024-25 with KK Mega Bemax and KK Mega Leks (U18).

But there’s still a ton of upside for Kayil at 20 years old, and who knows, maybe he’ll be with the team next year and be even better. By this time next year, we should have a better idea of how Kayil could fit into the Knicks' long-term plans.

In the meantime, the Knicks are focusing on the now and trying to keep their championship team together, while also adding on the margins.