The Knicks used the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft to add a pair of young pieces, and their selection of German guard Jack Kayil at No. 39 may have already pointed to the kind of job New York sees for him down the road.
Kayil, who is 20, was taken before Vanderbilt’s Tyler Nickel went at No. 47.
He gives the Knicks another developmental guard, but the team does not appear to be asking for immediate help. According to SNY’s Ian Begley, New York’s plan is for Kayil to remain overseas while he keeps developing.
That approach fits the shape of the role the Knicks seemed to be testing during their first-round series against the Hawks. In that matchup, Mike Brown leaned on Landry Shamet for ball handling and playmaking before fully shifting the offense toward Karl-Anthony Towns. The idea New York may have for Kayil does not sound all that different.
Shamet’s job in April was built around more than just his shot. His catch-and-shoot 3-point work helped open the floor for Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby, and he was also asked to attack closeouts, get to the basket and make the extra pass to shooters in the corners. New York extending Shamet to a four-year contract through the 2030 season means that template is not going away anytime soon.
That also gives Kayil a clean example to study. If he develops the way the Knicks hope, his shooting can fit into Brown’s rotation, but the bigger draw may be his ball handling - a skill New York tried to stretch out of Shamet in the postseason.
At Alba Berlin, Kayil averaged more than 12 points per game, though his shot diet there may not translate directly to the NBA. From the limited film available, his handle looks more natural than his scoring profile suggests, and that could eventually make him a useful off-ball option once he reaches the league.
For now, the Knicks have the luxury of patience. They do not need Kayil to step in right away, but they’ve already sketched out a path for him if he grows into the role they have in mind: a sharpshooting playmaker, not a full-time creator.
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