Young Knicks Guard Making Case for Permanent Role

The New York Knicks have dealt with a few injuries this season that have led to head coach Mike Brown having to tinker with his lineup combinations.

Through 26 games, Mikal Bridges and Jordan Clarkson are the only two players who haven’t missed one yet. OG Anunoby missed nine games because of a hamstring ailment but has since returned. Mitchell Robinson has missed eight games and will likely miss more as part of his load management.

Landry Shamet has missed 10 games and counting because of a shoulder injury. The team is patiently awaiting the return of Miles McBride, who suffered an ankle injury against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 7.

Those are a lot of key contributors to have missed time, which has led to Brown having to sometimes rely on players deeper down the depth chart. One player who is making the most of his opportunities when given them is Tyler Kolek.

Tyler Kolek earning more playing time with Knicks

Dec 5, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek (13) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

A second-round pick, No. 34 out of Marquette, he has yet to receive a consistent role in the rotation as a pro. But that could be changing, because he has been playing at a high level in place of McBride.

Against the Toronto Raptors and Magic in the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinal and semifinal games, Kolek performed very well. He finished both games with a positive plus/minus ratio, going +13 in eight minutes versus the Raptors and +18 in 16 minutes against Orlando.

In 24 minutes of action, he scored six points with four rebounds, five assists and two steals. Most importantly, he took care of the ball, turning it over only one time.

Against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup title game, Kolek scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field and was +14 in 20 minutes.

Kolek is far from a finished product, but he is making a strong case to earn more minutes going forward. The Knicks have been looking for someone who can run the offense competently on the second unit since Jalen Brunson joined the squad, and Kolek could fill that void.

Tyler Kolek part of Knicks best four-man grouping

New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek and Mikal Bridges — Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek (13) is greeted by guard Mikal Bridges (25) as he heads to the bench during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

He is gaining confidence every time he steps on the court, looking more and more comfortable. Great chemistry, albeit in a small sample size, is also being shown with some of the key rotation pieces.

As shared by Tommy Beer on X, the four-man grouping of Kolek, Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns had produced an unfathomable Net Rating of +54.9 in 27 minutes on the court entering the Knicks' matchup against the Spurs.

That is likely an unsustainable level of production, but it would be in Brown’s best interest to run that grouping a little more and see what happens. They have an offensive rating of 134.5 and a defensive rating of 79.6.

#SmallSampleSizeAlert

In the 27 minutes over five games in which Tyler Kolek has played alongside Bridges, OG and KAT, the Knicks have posted a Net Rating of +54.9

134.5 Offensive Rating
79.6 Defensive Rating
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) December 14, 2025

Kolek has shown an ability to run the offense and play pestering defense, which is enough to warrant more playing time. If he can become a little more of a scoring threat, he will have a strong case to be a permanent part of the rotation.

As long as McBride and Shamet remain sidelined, Kolek will have an opportunity. If he makes the most of this chance, Brown’s hand will be forced. It certainly doesn’t hurt having another capable ball handler to save some wear and tear on Brunson throughout the marathon regular season.

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