Why a Pacôme Dadiet trade could make sense for the NY Knicks

One year removed from being selected with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, New York Knicks guard Pacôme Dadiet’s future in New York remains a mystery.

After spending most of the year in the G-League with the Westchester Knicks, Dadiet only appeared in 18 NBA games during his rookie season, while not making much of an impact. Throughout 6.2 minutes per game, the France native averages 1.7 points per game with one rebound and 0.3 assists while shooting 32.3% from the field and 31.6% from beyond the arc.

In the G-League, he appeared in 14 games. Across 33.6 minutes per game, Dadiet averaged 14.9 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 40.6% from the field and 31.9% from three-point range.

Entering what has become a finals-or-bust season under first-year head coach Mike Brown, the Knicks appear unlikely to provide Pacôme Dadiet the NBA minutes he needs to develop into his full potential.

With several veteran guards competing for rotation spots through training camp and the preseason, New York could explore trade options for the 20-year-old before the season tips off.

Cap space remains tight across the league, making Dadiet’s rookie contract difficult to absorb. However, one logical suitor is a familiar rival, the Brooklyn Nets.

Why it would make sense for the Nets to trade for Dadiet

Brooklyn’s choice to let Cam Thomas play out this season on a qualifying offer, rather than lock him into a long-term deal, signaled a franchise ready to hit reset and commit to a sweeping rebuild.

That direction became even clearer when the Nets made history by keeping and using all five of their first-round selections in this year’s NBA draft, something no team had ever done before.

Gone are the days of pushing for the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference. After opening last season as a competitive group in a weaker East, Jordi Fernandez’s second season as the team’s head coach is expected to be a far different story. Oddsmakers at FanDuel list Brooklyn’s projected win total at just 20.5, a figure that places them near the bottom of the standings.

The youth movement is set to define the season. The Nets will lean on inexperienced players to carry heavy minutes, with 20-year-old Pacôme Dadiet standing out as one of the few with NBA experience. His blend of upside and athleticism could earn him 15 to 20 minutes a night as part of Brooklyn’s rotation.

What would the Knicks get in return from BK?

The Nets are flush with draft capital, owning 31 picks over the next seven years — 15 in the first round and 16 in the second.

For a player like Pacôme Dadiet, a first-round selection just a year ago (albeit it was a super weak draft class), the Knicks could reasonably expect a return of two or three future second-rounders.

Such a move would offer New York more than just added assets. Trading Dadiet would also free up a roster spot, a critical resource for a win-now team entering camp with veteran depth and little room for developmental minutes.

For the Knicks, moving on from Dadiet would clear the path for veterans in a win-now campaign, while for the Nets, acquiring him would mark another swing on upside as they lean fully into a youth-driven rebuild.