Knicks May Have Seen the Last of Mohamed Diawara in Vegas

The Knicks have been without many bright spots to begin the 2026 NBA Summer League, and Mohamed Diawara's disappointing run is a major part of that. The hope was that Diawara would overpower the lesser competition on the heels of an extension and an NBA Finals run.

Instead, he's floundered even worse than his ugly playoff performance.

His rough trip to Las Vegas doesn't stop there, though. Diawara sat out Monday's win against the Pistons with a finger injury, and it doesn't appear to be a non-issue, considering the wrap the third-year pro had put on it by the team.

https://t.co/v8Ar4B7ZW4 pic.twitter.com/4fmFLvRIYh
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) July 13, 2026

Given the reality of the situation, it seems this may mark the unofficial end of Diawara's latest Summer League venture.

Mohamed Diawara's Summer League injury gives Knicks no choice

Diawara has multiple factors working against him if he does want to still play in Vegas.

First and foremost, this has been a downright disastrous Summer League for him. In two games, he's averaged a measly 3.5 ppg, while shooting a pitiful 7.1% from the field—and no, that isn't a typo.

Whether it's a hangover from the NBA Finals run or just a poor fit being used as an initiator alongside less-experienced players, it's clear Diawara isn't at his best right now. Pulling him saves Diawara from taking even more blows to his confidence if he struggles as he works through an injury.

This finger ailment is also a reason in itself to bench Diawara. Even if it's just a bad sprain, there is absolutely zero upside to putting Diawara in harm's way for Summer League of all things.

Playing him in Vegas after getting a long-term extension was a palatable risk, given that he has only one NBA season under his belt. But any kind of injury is just about the worst-case scenario when putting a young piece on the floor in games that don't really mean anything of consequence.

Assuming he is hanging onto his role in the rotation this season, or even seeing a slight uptick, keeping Diawara healthy is important for the second unit. This is already a small obstacle for the rest of his offseason, and there's no point in making it potentially worse or picking up another issue by having him fight through it.

Mo Diawara on contract, approach to offseason and more pic.twitter.com/uCYNSTxBV9
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) July 11, 2026

Last of all, New York's Summer League results and remaining schedule point to sitting Diawara being the best choice.

So far, the team has two ugly losses on the board and the worst differential among all one-win teams so far in Vegas. That makes it nearly impossible for them to make the four-team Summer League Playoffs, even if they win on Thursday in their fourth game. As a result, the Knicks' Vegas business trip would then come to a close on Friday with a final fifth exhibition against a to-be-determined opponent.

With just two contests remaining and little to play for with a championship out of the window, Diawara suiting up while injured seems nonsensical when he's already secured a roster spot. Instead, New York can use these final tilts to get a deeper look at players like Dillon Jones, Liam Robbins and Oziyah Sellers to determine if they're two-way contract-worthy.

Summer League was undoubtedly an opportunity for Diawara to improve his standing within the organization, so that makes his lackluster showings sting. But there are multiple factors (new teammates, being part of a playoff run that's still fresh) that may have led to a poor performance.

So instead of trying to salvage his Vegas numbers, especially with an injury in the mix, the Knicks can simply write this off and have Diawara focus on being prepared for the upcoming campaign. That begins with benching him for the last two games and not making a bad situation even worse with further lost confidence or a more severe ailment.

Add us as a preferred source on Google