Everything Knicks Fans Need to Know About 2026 Summer League (Top Storylines, Roster, Schedule, Results)

Less than a month after winning the NBA Finals, the Knicks are back on the floor on Friday. This time, though, it's much lower stakes at the Las Vegas Summer League, where the team's youngsters will be on full display.

With a lot happening in a short amount of time, we've gathered up all the most important info about New York's trip to Vegas.

Knicks 2026 Summer League roster and coaching staff

Guards: Jaden Akins, Will Johnston, Oziyah Sellers, Erik Reynolds II, Treysen Eaglestaff, Jack Kayil

The Knicks have a handful of guards they'll use at the 2026 Summer League. The headliner is late addition Jack Kayil, the team's top pick of the draft (No. 39), who secured permission from his overseas rights holder at the last minute to play in Las Vegas.

Many are intrigued to see what Kayil can do, especially since his selection wasn't what most hoped for. But Jaden Akins, who averaged 14.7 ppg and 4.4 apg in the G League this season, plus St. John's alum Oziyah Sellers, are also worth keeping an eye on, with Kayil's role still to be determined.

Forwards: Dillon Jones, Pacôme Dadiet, Toby Okani, Akoi Yuot, Keith Palek III, Langston Wilson, Mohamed Diawara, Tyler Nickel, Nick Jourdain

It's no surprise New York's wing-heavy emphasis also shows up in its Summer League roster. The obvious ones to watch here are Mohamed Diawara and Pacôme Dadiet, given they're the young pieces with NBA experience the Knicks are developing at the end of their bench.

However, there's also Dillon Jones, who is trying to seal his return to the team after being on a two-way deal this past season. And there's another rookie draft pick in Tyler Nickel, who'd be in contention to play immediately in his first year if his sharpshooting translates over from college.

Centers: Liam Robbins, Lance Ware

Last, but certainly not least given the team's free agent exits, is the center spot. New York is getting a closer look at two big men in the 7-foot-1 Liam Robins and 6-foot-10 Lance Ware. Robbins actually has some NBA experience (13 appearances) over two seasons, making him an intriguing flyer given his size, shot-blocking knack, and floor-stretching potential.

Head coach and staff: T.J. Saint (head coach), staff TBD

T.J. Saint, who joined the Knicks in 2025 under Mike Brown, will serve as head coach of New York's 2026 Summer League roster. He has a tough act to follow after Chris Jent led the team to a title in Las Vegas last year.

Knicks 2026 Summer League schedule and updated game results

Date	Time	Opponent	TV channel	Result
Fri., 7/10	6 p.m. ET	Nets	Prime Video	91-65 Nets win
Sat., 7/11	6 p.m. ET	Spurs	ESPN	TBD
Mon., 7/13	4 p.m. ET	Pistons	Prime Video	TBD
Thurs., 7/16	7 p.m. ET	Warriors	ESPN2	TBD
TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

The Knicks' first four Summer League games in 2026 are against the Nets (7/10), Spurs (7/11), Pistons (7/13) and Warriors (7/16). New York's record after these contests will then determine whether it has a playoff game for its fifth, or just a final exhibition.

This schedule puts the Knicks directly in the path of several top rookies who were just drafted between Brooklyn's Mikel Brown Jr. (No. 6 overall pick) and Joshua Jefferson (No. 28 pick), San Antonio's Jayden Quaintance (No. 20 pick) and Tarris Reed Jr. (No. 26 pick), and Golden State's Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 11 pick).

Top storylines for Knicks at 2026 NBA Summer League

The most significant development for the Knicks at Summer League would be seeing Dadiet have a strong performance. He's failed to carve out a role in the rotation in two seasons, making his $2.9 million price tag for 2026-27 a hefty one that could (or should) be traded to pursue a more useful player.

Pacôme Dadiet stands around. — Knicks fans have plenty of reasons to monitor Pacôme Dadiet throughout NBA Summer League. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

A good showing may change the team's mind about giving up on the 2024 first-round pick. Or it could be the boost to his low stocks that they need to make him more appetizing to pawn off in a trade. Regardless of the specific path, both require Dadiet to put his NBA experience to use and impress against players who are entirely new to the league.

A big Summer League would also help give Diawara a confidence boost heading into his second year. He had a mostly unimpressive postseason and eventually was glued to the bench while the team went on to win the title, so he still has major work to do to become a featured reserve.

New York did show it values Diawara as a developmental piece by inking him to a four-year contract extension this summer, but that deal also features an easy out for the team after two seasons. This builds in some protection in case Diawara never takes off, though his potential is tantalizing and worth fully examining before any split is considered.

Plenty of eyes will be on the rookies, too, with both Kayil and Nickel now suiting up. Vegas provides a great chance to see how Kayil stacks up against NBA-caliber competition after coming from overseas, while Nickel could be a sneaky factor off the bench if his three-point touch carries over from a blistering college performance.

But the non-rostered players are intriguing as well. Robbins, as a true seven-footer who can block shots and has strong rebounding potential, could very well play himself into a contract with the Knicks, given their lack of center depth at the moment.

Meanwhile, there are members of the NBA G League affiliate in Okani and Jourdain who will have a chance to keep building on their standing within the organization. The same goes for Jones as he seeks another two-way even though he may have to compete with the rookies for one of the few coveted spots.

New arrivals like Akins (a G League All-Star this past season) and Sellers add some exciting fresh faces as well, who'll be auditioning for New York and the entire league. With Tyler Kole left off the team, there's a chunk of playing time available that another player could use to their advantage.

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