The Knicks may be chasing center help, but the ripple effect of that search could hit the backcourt too.
If New York decides Tyler Kolek is part of the price to land a big man, the front office will have to think about who fills that guard spot next. That’s where Sean Pedulla enters the picture. The Clippers are waiving the two-way guard, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, and he suddenly looks like the kind of upside swing the Knicks should at least have on the radar.
Pedulla’s G League season made noise for a reason. He won Rookie of the Year after putting up 23.6 points, 6.8 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game, while also adding 1.6 steals a night.
He shot 36.9% from three and didn’t shy away from volume, firing 7.6 attempts per game from beyond the arc. At 6-foot-1, he still found ways to get clean looks and hit tough ones, which is exactly the kind of skill set that can keep a smaller guard alive.
He also brought activity on the defensive end.
Los Angeles’ decision to move on from him makes sense in the context of its own roster changes. With the pending Kawhi Leonard trade bringing in top guard Gradey Dick, the Clippers won’t need as much of the depth Pedulla provides.
For the Knicks, though, this is the kind of opportunity that fits neatly with their current flexibility. New York has all three two-way slots open, which means it could add Pedulla and still use that same pathway to bring in a center, or even two. That matters because the frontcourt is the bigger need, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of adding another developmental guard.
And Pedulla would give the Knicks another lottery ticket in a system that could use more of them. Ariel Hukporti is already gone this offseason, Pacôme Dadiet still looks like a long shot, Mohamed Diawara has flashed but still has plenty to prove, and rookie Tyler Nickel’s outlook is far from clear.
Kolek remains part of that young group and might be the one closest to rotation minutes. That’s also why he carries real trade value. With Jose Alvarado now in the fold on a three-year deal, New York doesn’t need to hold onto Kolek as tightly if moving him helps solve the center problem.
If the Knicks landed Pedulla off waivers, or later signed him if he reaches the open market, they’d effectively replace Kolek with another young guard without using a standard roster spot, assuming Pedulla is on a two-way. It would keep the pipeline stocked while preserving flexibility.
Between now and opening night, the Knicks are trying to make every piece fit around a team built to chase another title. Adding Pedulla would give them one more intriguing guard while making a Kolek-for-big-man move easier to swallow.
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Potters strong 2025-26 season in Indiana gave him a better profile than a typical waiver pickup, and the Knicks could benefit if his situation in Portland turns quickly. For now, they are simply monitoring whether he becomes available again, but the appeal is obvious for a team that would like another option in the middle without forcing a move too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Huge Karl-Anthony Towns Decision This Summer
Karl-Anthony Towns has quickly become a central figure in the Knicks recent rise, but his future in New York is now headed for a major financial crossroads. He is eligible for an extension this summer, and the decision comes with plenty of weight for a team trying to balance present-day success with long-term flexibility.
The front office has not yet settled on whether to commit to a max-level deal, and that uncertainty is already drawing attention given how much Towns means to the roster. He is set to make $57 million next season and carries a player option for the year after, so the Knicks have time on their side - but not much margin for error if they want to keep him locked in for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]