Tyler Kolek Serves As Silver Lining Amidst Knicks Roster Crunch

Amidst a perplexing preseason effort, the New York Knicks found suitable reinforcements from their Ty fighter.

New York's latest exhibition showcase was one to forget, as the team dropped a 120-103 decision to the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks' regular men, such as franchise faces Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, were held out to give the second unit some time in the spotlight, but they mostly wilted in a game that saw them trail by as much as 36.

The final margin was somewhat beautified by the reserves' reserves, with second-year man Tyler Kolek proving particularly impressive: the homegrown fan favorite put up 20 points (13 in the second half) on 7-of-13 from the field while also dishing out six assists, both team-bests in the otherwise tepid affair.

“Tyler gave us some great minutes,” lauded Knicks head coach Mike Brown, per John Flanigan of SNY. “His pace was great for us offensively .He touched the paint and sprayed it, we’re a big spray team, and he tried to reach space after he got off it. Then defensively he tired to talk and bring energy. I thought he was really good.”

Kolek couldn't have timed a standout performance better: his name has lingered in the latest metropolitan trade gossip as the Knicks may have to cut loose a contract or two in order to keep all of their desired rotational additions (i.e. Malcolm Brogdon, Landry Shamet). With the Knicks' upcoming preseason finale set to act as a de facto dress rehearsal, the Wizards' visit may have marked his last opportunity to impress management ... whether that of New York's or a potential bartering partner.

Kolek played 23 minutes against Washington and primarily impressed with his physical play and infiltration ability, earning his strong scoring output with just one three-pointer. Brown was also particularly pleased with the way he took a couple of charges that led to offensive fouls, a stark contrast to the relative hesitancy on display during the earlier preseason portions in Abu Dhabi.

“Being the smaller guy, you have to sacrifice your body,” Brown said, per Flanigan. “For me, it’s a great step from seeing the opportunity in Abu Dhabi and then tonight he actually tried to take the hit, so now hopefully we’ll go from there and he’ll take a couple of hits.”

Time will tell if the Marquette momentum — Kolek's latest showcase was earned with fellow former Golden Eagle and one-time Knicks sharpshooter Steve Novak seated courtside at MSG — proves sustainable to keep rolling in Manhattan. Kolek did make it clear in the aftermath that the potential roster crunch isn't serving as a reminder to raise his play, seeking simply to keep up the intensity no matter the situation.

"There's urgency every single day," Kolek said in video from SNY. "They say the hardest thing is not to get in this league but to stay in this league, so every day you're scrapping and fighting for yours while still trying to have a collective goal as a team. But every day you're in there working on your individual game too, to put yourself in the best position possible."

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!