​The Knicks’ regular-season rotation might have just expanded a notch, at least in potential, and perhaps their asset pool could grow as well. Pacome Dadiet looked the part in the Knicks’ Las Vegas Summer League opener, a 26-point thrashing at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets at the Thomas and Mack Center on Friday. The 25th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft led his team with 20 points on 6-for-16 shooting and grabbed seven boards in the defeat, showing skills that could translate to more meaningful minutes down the line.
This outing represented a promising development for a player who had spent his first two seasons largely outside the Knicks’ already crowded wing rotation, operating behind the starting trio of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart. Dadiet has logged just 47 games across his first two campaigns and hadn’t yet demonstrated a clear path to sustained growth in limited opportunities. On Friday, however, the 20-year-old, 6-foot-9 French forward appeared noticeably more refined for the NBA level. He moved with purpose, delivering crisp, timely cuts to the paint, and he nabbed four of his seven rebounds on the offensive glass. His jumper wasn’t falling—he was just 1-for-7 from three—but he also showed an improved capacity to score at the rim.
In that same game, second-round guard Tyler Nickel contributed 18 points, and the pair were the Knicks’ only double-figure scorers against Brooklyn. That kind of performance could prompt head coach Mike Brown to consider occasional, strategic minutes to preserve a fresher rotation for the playoff push, even if Dadiet’s role remains uncertain in the rotation as the season unfolds.
Dadiet’s Summer League showing also carries significance for the Knicks’ front office. With cap space constrained beneath the $222 million second apron and a desire to preserve tradable assets, Dadiet’s emergence—especially as he’s entering a contract year—adds a wrinkle to the team’s calculations. He’s in the third year of his four-year rookie deal, with the team holding a Year 4 option. The decision to retain him beyond this season or let him test free agency will be in the hands of the Leon Rose-led front office. The financial considerations are nontrivial: Dadiet earns $2.9 million this season and is projected to approach $5.4 million in Year 4, a substantial rise for a team already carrying a long-term commitment to its core, including extensions for stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson.
But for now, that’s tomorrow’s problem. On Friday, Dadiet answered questions about his development. He has been learning and growing, and he carried himself with the assurance of a veteran amid a floor crowded with young players. Even if he doesn’t crack Brown’s rotation regularly—an outcome given the pressing need at center after the departure of Mitchell Robinson and Towns—the Knicks can still consider him in trade discussions with teams that have minutes to spare.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Diawara, in his second year, endured a rough start to Friday’s Summer League game, producing some of the least efficient looks the Knicks will want to see. The fates of both Diawara and Dadiet will hinge on how they respond in the coming weeks: if they continue to sharpen their games and demonstrate consistency on a stage like Summer League, their chances of becoming a factor—whether in New York or elsewhere—can only improve. For now, Dadiet’s performance offered a glimmer of hope that the Knicks’ depth could extend beyond the obvious primary rotation, and it underlined the wider implications of a season that remains uncertain yet full of potential upside.