Deck Stacked Against Mohamed Diawara for Knicks' Playoff Run

The New York Knicks enter the 2026 NBA playoffs with some lingering rotation uncertainty. Suddenly healthy on every front again, Mike Brown is tasked with figuring out how he'll deploy his second unit given his expensive and minutes-heavy starters are all 100%.

In a challenging environment where some players shrink and others thrive, Brown already has tough choices to make with Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson and Mitchell Robinson all playing roles in helping New York finish No. 3 in the East.

That's not even to mention those who are closer to the end of the bench, like rookie Mohamed Diawara. And taking stock of Diawara's current situation as a whole, there's reason to believe his first taste of postseason action will be an uneventful one for him.

Knicks rookie Mohamed Diawara facing potentially non-existent role for Knicks in 2026 playoffs

The French product's 2025-26 campaign has been an absolute success for both player and franchise. Draft history is littered with second-round picks who never suited up in more than a handful of NBA games throughout their entire career, yet Diawara wound up appearing in 69 contests for New York as a rookie.

The 6-foot-9 forward even carved out a clear complementary role despite being new to the league, earning 9.2 minutes per game, which he turned into averages of 3.6 points and 1.4 rebounds. He didn't take the NBA by storm, but it was a promising start for a player who's only turning 21 later this month.

That being said, the playoffs are an entirely different animal. More often than not, it's the top players on teams determining how games turn out, which leads to shorter rotations in order for the premier talent to have even more opportunities to impact matchups.

This reality makes Diawara one of the most obvious picks to slash minutes. His 9.2 MPG could be spread amongst the more valuable contributors on the second unit, with Mitchell Robinson (19.6 MPG) one player in particular who would make a huge difference with more playing time against Atlanta given his rebounding and size.

There's also the fact that Diawara is mostly an unknown in terms of his capabilities given his limited role during the regular season.

It's certainly possible he could provide a legitimate spark if New York upped his minutes; after all, his per-36 averages (14.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.0 APG and 37% from three) showcase why he's a player to be excited about. But this isn't the time to experiment, especially when every game matters and the Hawks are no pushover of a first-round opponent.

The Knicks also gave Diawara a chance to possibly change their minds in the season finale, handing him the start with all of the big names sitting and the most minutes (33:55) by far of his rookie campaign against the Charlotte Hornets.

Yet, the forward didn't make the most of the opportunity, as he turned in a poor 2-of-9 performance from the field (including 0-of-5 from three) while adding four rebounds and six assists. That's simply not an outing that's going to make Brown confident playing him on the big stage.

On top of all of this, New York has reason to try and keep its hidden secret stashed away for a little longer. Diawara is headed for restricted free agency this offseason, and his rookie-year flashes could be enough to tempt a team into giving him a pay raise and seeing if his per-36 numbers hold up in a larger role.

That'd be an unwelcome scenario for the cash-strapped Knicks, who are looking at being a second apron team if they re-sign Robinson. Some sacrifices would have to be made then, even if it means letting go of an intriguing youngster they spent time developing this past season.

But, if Diawara has an especially quiet playoffs glued to the bench, that removes the possibility of a breakout forcing him out of the Big Apple.

Then the Knicks would be in position to have him return, and given how massive sophomore leaps have been for previous second-year players, the payoff could be huge for a team whose depth still lacks compared to other contenders.

All of these factors point to Diawara having a limited chance to impress in the playoffs. Yet, given the future possibilities tied to the soon-to-be-21-year-old, that's not all bad news for the Knicks.

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