The New York Knicks’ lack of depth on the roster has been a big factor in their recent struggles. Beyond the starting five, New York has little to no go-to options that can significantly pick up the slack of their starters.
The Knicks are searching for a new player development coach
Additionally, their three rookies on the roster – Tyler Kolek, Ariel Hukporti, and Pacome Dadiet – have had essentially zero impact on the team and are still a ways away from developing into highly impactful NBA players.
According to Newsday’s Steve Popper, the Knicks are looking for a player development coach who can help younger players develop quickly. He noted that the current Westchester Knicks coach, Desagana Diop, has won the G-League showcase in back-to-back years but that is not stopping New York from searching.
“A league source indicated that the Knicks have been searching for a player development-focused coach to head the program, reaching out for permission to speak with candidates and putting the onus on speeding the learning curve for the young players on the NBA roster,” Popper wrote.
New York’s rookies have shown the potential to be strong NBA players. Players such as Kolek have had numerous great performances playing in Westchester, but a common trend with the team in recent years has been the slow development of players.
The Knicks’ young players have been slow-developing in recent years
For example, it took three seasons for Miles McBride to consistently crack the rotation, and now he is their sixth man after starting last season out of the rotation. Jericho Sims is another example, as despite being in the NBA for four seasons and logging 35 career starts, he still exhibits raw prospect traits.
Of course, there are exceptions, such as Immanuel Quickley’s stunning development into a great bench player during his rookie season. But for the most part, the Knicks have not had the luxury of fast-developing rookies, which could be why they are trying to make a change in the coaching staff.
Ultimately, the Knicks won’t be able to depend on their rookies this season, meaning that they will likely need to search for bench depth externally through the trade or buyout market. Nevertheless, they will want their rookies to quickly develop into NBA-ready players so that can positively impact the Knicks.