While the Knicks traded away the 24th overall pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in return for five second-round picks, they utilized the 25th overall pick on French guard Pacome Dadiet.
Introducing Pacome Dadiet: A Promising Young Talent
The 18-year-old stands at 6’8″, 210 pounds, and played 59 games with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. Last season, he averaged 6.6 points on 53% shooting, including 38.3% from downtown, 2.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.5 steals over 15.3 minutes per game.
Keep in mind, this is an 18-year-old with “stash and play” upside down the line. The Knicks don’t need him to be an immediate impact player, but they’ve been keen on grabbing international prospects with the hope of developing them over time.
The Upside of Dadiet
Dadiet is a solid wing with great size for his age, so the upside is elite. The Knicks are essentially looking for a player who can help them in a few years, and if he continues developing his game, he could be a perfect wing in the NBA at some point.
Dadiet’s Immediate Plans and Skills
However, Dadiet made it clear that he wants to spend his first season in New York with the Knicks, helping them win a championship.
Dadiet is an exciting scoring threat, knocking down jump shots from all over the court. While he could use a bit more aggression at times, he has a solid first step and is able to create space for himself with decisive movements. He is a skilled shooter and has a beautiful jumper—he can shoot off balance, which is a necessity for high-profile scorers.
Areas for Development
Dadiet is able to finish off the dribble, but he will need to improve his passing and ballhandling as he continues his development. He is better off being a bigger wing who can hit corner shots and attack the rim against weaker defenders.
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Long-Term Potential Outweighs Immediate Production for the Knicks
Despite there being more productive picks on the board for New York, Dadiet has the upside to be something special, and the front office is playing the long game with his talent since they don’t necessarily need a rookie to step in and support their rotation, especially after the acquisition of Bridges and extending OG Anunoby.