Jack Kayil has already done enough in Las Vegas to make the Knicks think twice.
When New York first took the rookie combo guard, the assumption was obvious: maybe he’d be stashed overseas to save money and keep the roster flexible. Kayil pushed back on that idea right away, saying he wanted to stay with the organization and grow inside it. Then came the reports that the Knicks were leaning toward keeping him in international ball anyway, a move that made sense at the time for a player who was still viewed as raw and far from helping a contender.
Summer League has changed the conversation.
Kayil opened his Vegas run against the Spurs last weekend and didn’t look rattled by the moment. On a night when most of the roster had trouble scoring, he finished with 12 points, good for third on the team, even while shooting 5-of-14 from the field. The shot wasn’t falling at a high rate, but the confidence was there, and that matters for a rookie playing in front of a crowd full of eyes looking for exactly that kind of test.
He also brought more than scoring. Kayil grabbed five rebounds, including three on the offensive glass, and added two steals while showing a physical edge on defense. There were even hints of playmaking on both ends, which stands out because he’s usually talked about as an offensive player first.
The next game only strengthened the case. Kayil helped lead New York, along with Dillon Jones, to its first Summer League win and looked even sharper as a scorer.
He put up 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting and knocked down three shots from deep. Defensively, he kept making noise too, finishing with three steals to pace the Knicks.
Two games remain in Las Vegas, but the early return is already clear: Kayil has been a success in his first NBA run. Teams want to see young players flash, and even better, take over a game or two in an exhibition setting. He’s done both, and he’s done it despite missing the initial exhibition.
That has to matter to New York, especially with Kayil outplaying players who are actually on the roster, including Mohamed Diawara and Pacôme Dadiet.
At this point, sending him back to Germany would look less like patience and more like a step backward. It would also risk souring a relationship after the Knicks already appeared to pass on Kayil’s wish to stay with the team.
The good news for New York is that there’s a clean path to keeping him close. Kayil fits the profile for one of the Knicks’ three possible two-way contracts, which would let him work with the G League team in Westchester and keep developing against stronger competition.
That setup would keep his growth under the Knicks’ roof, where they can bring him along carefully while still taking what he’s shown in Sin City seriously. And a two-way deal would also leave the door open for him to appear in real NBA games during the season, even if that remains a long shot for a player who won’t turn 21 until next January.
Still, the option matters. Mike Brown has already said he’ll use whichever player on the bench he thinks can help the team win, and having another young piece available in the G League only adds to New York’s flexibility down the line.
If Kayil is in Europe, the Knicks lose that option entirely. After what he’s shown in Summer League, keeping him around feels like the obvious move.
In Other News...
Knicks Just Got A New Eastern Conference Warning Sign
The Sixers have suddenly turned a major Eastern Conference conversation into a much bigger one, landing Jaylen Brown to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. For a Knicks team trying to climb the same ladder, that kind of star power changes the feel of the race in a hurry, especially when the new group already has the kind of scoring and versatility that can stress a defense in a playoff series.
Kevin Durant added to the buzz by publicly calling Philadelphias new look dangerous and saying he was happy for Brown, a reaction that only sharpened the attention around the move. The bigger question for New York is how this reshaped Sixers roster will look once the games start to matter most, because the East just added another contender with a trio built to make life difficult for everyone else. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Suddenly Sit At Center Of Two Massive East Storylines
The Eastern Conference picture around the Knicks keeps shifting in ways that matter well beyond one offseason. Jalen Brunsons revelation that he played through a wrist injury that later needed surgery adds another layer to the run New York just made, especially after a playoff series that already carried so much weight in the East. Around that, the Cavaliers are not only dealing with their own postseason ripple effects, but also sitting near the center of a leaguewide conversation that has quickly become impossible to ignore.
Mike Ganseys move into the Sixers top job and the immediate push to reshape the roster with Jaylen Brown has already changed the temperature in the conference, while LeBron James pending free agency decision is looming over every contender watching the East. The Cavaliers, Sixers and Heat are all being mentioned as teams with interest, which only adds to the sense that the next few days could alter the balance of power again. For the Knicks, it is another reminder that finishing one season is only the start of the next test. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Still Have One Big Question Behind Towns And Drummond
The Knicks have already addressed one of the biggest holes in their frontcourt by bringing in Andre Drummond on a one-year deal, but the work around the center spot does not feel finished. After losing Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti from last seasons championship group, New York is still looking at ways to add size, insurance and a little more defensive presence behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Drummond.
One name that keeps surfacing is Trey Jemison III, who spent last season on a two-way contract and showed enough in limited action to keep him in the conversation. His appeal is simple enough for a roster built on depth: he can protect the rim, rebound and give the Knicks another big body if injuries or foul trouble hit, even if he is not expected to be part of the regular rotation. [Read more 🡒]