Knicks already at a Tyler Kolek intersection

Major sports fans may not like it – especially when it comes to the blue gridiron contingent – ​​but the New York Knicks’ fall fortunes may depend on an Eagle.

A 4-5 record in the NBA isn’t nearly the catastrophe it is in the NFL, but every Knicks effort moves the franchise closer to a troubling new normal if planned events don’t happen.

With its most recent showing a 132-121 loss to the Indiana PacersNew York looked ridiculously mediocre during a tough week. While other slipping Eastern Contenders have taken over the negative headlines, the Knicks have dropped three of four after enduring a brutal opening stretch that saw them face each of their conference semifinal brothers last spring.

The really frustrating part of the Knicks’ early problems is that none of them can be solved immediately and the solutions rely heavily on patience and assumption: Precious Achiuwa, Cameron Payne and Mitchell Robinson will eventually return. A team with just four opening night picks in 2023 is more than capable of generating chemistry.

Other ideas include staring the Knicks in the face, but avoiding eye contact even if that is the case Tyler Kolek it was impossible to ignore.

Kolek was one of the more intriguing selections on the newly introduced second day of the NBA draft last June: New York moves up a few floors on the draft elevator to acquire his services, which were good enough to earn a plethora of individual accolades at the Big East level during his time at Marquette.

Undersized and suffering from a late oblique injury, it was clear that Kolek was a project pick, one more likely destined for an impact with Westchester’s Knicks rather than Manhattan’s. Kolek’s selectionhowever, was an intriguing shift in draft focus for the Knicks.

His was a luxury selection, one in which the Knicks embraced the idea of ​​acquiring the so-called best player available rather than filling a pressing need. Kolek’s arrival was a reward of sorts after the Knicks hired previous draft picks as spectators and tradesmen. Sure, there was the understanding that Kolek was always going to be a project pick, but he was someone who fit the Knicks’ needs both now and down the road.

So why don’t the Knicks trust Kolek now?

Kolek has responded more or less well to the limited challenges the Knicks have presented him thus far: He is shooting over 69 percent from the field, has an offensive rating of 135 and is averaging about 30 points per game per 100 possessions. Most of that work has involved mop-up duties, but Kolek has been Payne’s de facto replacement while he deals with hamstring issues.

Still, there’s a reluctance to use Kolek, who bit the Knicks early: He got 16 minutes in Friday’s win over Milwaukee, but that was followed by a two-minute showing in the aforementioned loss to the Pacers. The Knicks played a total of eight men in Sunday’s loss: Indiana, on the other hand, played nine men with at least minutes … and that was with veteran depth stars like Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin sidelined.

No one said Kolek would immediately become a fixture in the Knicks’ rotation, and it’s completely fair to send him back to college mode once New York gets its full contingent back. Kolek has made it clear he is willing to accept such an assignment, knowing that a year of watching Jalen Brunson could outweigh nights in White Plains.

For now, though, the Knicks need Kolek on the floor and should happily embrace that. An immediate test would prove beneficial for what the Knicks are trying to build and help them get closer to a relatively monumental goal.

New York is already losing ground in the premature race for the top spot on the Eastern Conference leaderboard. It certainly helps that everyone outside of Cleveland and Boston is aggressively mediocre to begin with, but it would have been wise for the Knicks to improve their standing in the East.

Despite last season’s second-place finish, few if any believed this presented a formidable challenge for the eventual Beantown champions after finishing fourteen games behind them. Yes, the NBA season is a long marathon, but a team like the modern Knicks needs to rack up as many wins as possible if they plan to make major statements in the NBA bulletin.

With that in mind, the Knicks opted for an attempt at renewed prominence: the “Nova Knicks” arc was partially abandoned and they also tried to sign former Phoenix Suns like Payne, Mikal Bridges, Marcus Morris and Landry Shamet. The trade for Karl-Anthony Towns shook things up as the Knicks tried to ride on star power alone. Towns has responded to his own challenges, but those left need to step up. Kolek did that early on and it’s time he was rewarded for it.

If that’s out of the window, why not embrace relative, productive unpredictability, like Kolek?

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