Tyler

Nickel

After a solid effort in his Knicks summer debut on Saturday, Kayil looked more comfortable on Monday. A reason for this may have been his insertion into the starting lineup, as the Knicks held out Mohamed Diawara and Pacôme Dadiet. More of the offense ran through players like Kayil, Tyler Nickel (nine points, six rebounds and three three-pointers) and Dillon Jones (18 points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal and two three-pointers), with Oziyah Sellers (10 points, seven rebounds and one assist) contributing off the bench. The lingering question for Kayil is where he’ll play his basketball next season. While the rookie has said he would prefer to remain in the NBA, the Knicks may stash him overseas to save cap space.

With returnees Mohamed Diawara (zero points, five rebounds, one assist and one block) and Pacôme Dadiet struggling mightily, Nickel has been one of the few bright spots for the Knicks in Las Vegas. After knocking down six three-pointers in Friday’s loss to the Nets, the second-round pick hit four more on Saturday. Putting capable shooters around Jalen Brunson has been a priority of the Knicks’ decision-makers since signing the point guard, and Nickel certainly fits the mold.

One of the best three-point shooters in the 2026 draft class, Nickel showcased his perimeter prowess in his summer debut. The former Vanderbilt wing shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc on Friday, standing out on a day when his Knicks teammates combined to go 3-of-29 from three. With the Knicks’ perimeter rotation returning for another title run, Nickel faces long odds of consistently cracking Mike Brown’s rotation. However, if last season indicated anything, it’s that Brown is willing to give everyone a chance throughout the season.

After playing sparingly as a freshman at North Carolina, Nickel played one season at Virginia Tech before transferring to Vanderbilt for his final two. And Mark Byington’s system paid dividends for the 6-foot-6 wing, who averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.8 three-pointers as a Commodore. Nickel shot 40.2 percent from three at Vanderbilt on 6.9 attempts per game; the perimeter shooting ability is his best asset as a potential pro. The question for Nickel in New York is whether he’ll be on a standard contract or a two-way contract. With the Knicks looking to avoid the second apron and their depth on the wings, Nickel may have a tough time cracking the rotation consistently as a rookie.