Dalton Knecht didn’t take long to make himself felt in a Knicks uniform.
In his New York debut on Wednesday against Chicago, the former Lakers first-round pick put up 10 points, seven rebounds and a block in 16 minutes, giving the Knicks a quick offensive jolt in a 30-point win. Coach Mike Brown came away impressed, especially with the way Knecht fit into the flow.
“He’s a scorer. He’s not just a shooter… He can go get it,” Brown said, per Ian Begley of SNY.
“He can shoot from range, he’s got a medium game, he can get to the rim, and he can pass. He’s got to work defensively and I thought tonight, he tried to play within himself and contributed the best way he could,” Brown said.
“There were a couple things defensively that he can do a little better and that’s what he really has to concentrate, on but I thought he gave us a nice little lift, especially offensively when he played towards the end of the first half.”
Another change worth watching came in the backup point guard rotation. Tyler Kolek got the nod over Jose Alvarado, with Kolek playing six minutes in the second quarter and then returning in the third. Alvarado didn’t check in until garbage time in the fourth.
“I said this before, every position coming off the bench is a competition, all the time, ” Brown said. “Nobody’s minutes are set in stone.
… Jose had the first opportunity in our last game. And then I gave Tyler an opportunity in the second half [against the Nets on Monday] and Tyler played well.”
Kolek is on a team-friendly $2,296,271 contract, and the Knicks hold an option on his 2027/28 deal.
Elsewhere, Jalen Brunson’s rise has sparked a bigger conversation about where he stands in the league’s public imagination. The New York Post’s Peter Botte looked at whether Brunson has reached “face of the NBA” status, pointing to how he has become a transcendent figure in pop culture beyond basketball, unlike Thunder guard and two-time Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
And Landry Shamet continues to bring value in a way that doesn’t always jump off the screen. James Edwards III of The Athletic highlighted Shamet’s knack for creating closeouts as a perimeter threat, which often turns into productive possessions for the Knicks.
Last season, defenders flew by him on 131 closeouts, including the regular season and playoffs, and New York averaged 1.38 points on those plays, according to Second Spectrum. Only Luke Kennard and Duncan Robinson were more efficient on closeouts that led to points for their teams.
In Other News...
Knicks Are Sending Mikal Bridges A Clear Early-Season Message
Mikal Bridges has already felt Mike Browns tighter leash early in the season, with the Knicks coach turning to his bench sooner than the team did a year ago. For a player who signed a four-year extension and was a key defensive piece during last springs playoff run, the shift has been noticeable, especially as New York tries to settle into the rhythm of a title defense.
Brown has made it clear that Bridges has to work through his early shooting struggles, and the minutes picture reflects that message. The Knicks are not easing up on standards just because theyre the defending champions, and Bridges role in the biggest moments will depend on how quickly he answers the challenge. [Read more 🡒]
James Wiseman Just Reopened A Knicks Rotation Question
James Wisemans start with the Knicks has been quiet enough to barely register, with limited minutes and no baskets through his first handful of appearances. But his showing against the Bulls offered a different glimpse of what he can bring, as he finished with four baskets, eight rebounds and three blocks in just 10 minutes, the kind of burst that can change how a bench unit looks in a hurry.
For a team still sorting out its frontcourt depth, that matters. Wiseman now leads the Knicks in blocks per game, and his per-36-minute numbers hint at a backup center who could be more than just a stopgap if the production keeps trending this way. The question is no longer whether he can flash impact in a short stint, but whether the Knicks can turn that into something reliable in the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Brought Dink Pate Back For A Reason Fans Should Watch
The Westchester Knicks are set to open the season with a familiar kind of developmental spotlight, as several two-way players are expected to log meaningful minutes, including Jaden Akins, Dalton Knecht and Tyler Nickel. For New York, that makes the G League affiliate more than just a holding spot - it is a proving ground, and the organization has already made one of its clearest bets on upside by bringing back Dink Pate on an Exhibit-10 deal before waiving him to steer him to Westchester.
Pate already knows the environment, having averaged 16.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 50 games there, and the Knicks will be watching closely to see whether he can build on that foundation. His path is the kind teams hope to uncover through the G League system: steady development now, with a chance to work his way toward a two-way contract or even a standard NBA deal down the line. [Read more 🡒]