The New York Knicks were already a depleted group before Jalen Brunson’s ankle injury. Now, head coach Tom Thibodeau may need to dig into the depths of his bench to help fill the void that will be left in Brunson’s absence.
Knicks could play Tyler Kolek more in Jalen Brunson’s absence
Thibodeau has been known to be hesitant to give rookies a large amount of playing time, but there is one in the back of his bench who could provide quality minutes. Rookie guard Tyler Kolek, who has appeared in 29 games this season, could see more playing time with the Knicks’ guard depth being depleted.
Currently, Miles McBride has been elevated to the starting five while Cameron Payne is his backup. However, McBride is less of a true point guard and excels more at the shooting guard position, making Payne the only guard who can orchestrate an offense.
That’s where Kolek will be useful, as the second-round rookie out Marquette excels as a playmaker. In the G-League this year with the Westchester Knicks, he is averaging 18.0 points and 10.0 assists and has showcased some of those elite playmaking skills in his brief NBA stints this season.
Kolek can provide the Knicks with a facilitator
The Knicks need a guy who can help initiate offense, as they lack a ton of on-ball creation with Brunson off the floor. New York scored just 95 points in their first game without him against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, and they struggled to find ways to get the offense flowing late in the game.
Kolek wouldn’t receive a ton of playing time due to his continuing development and lack of defensive intensity. However, he could improve the offense significantly and be a big help for New York until they get their captain back on the court.
The Knicks have their next game Monday night against the Sacramento Kings. Perhaps Thibodeau will give Kolek an opportunity to provide a spark to a Knicks team that desperately needs one.