Knicks’ 2026 Draft Pick Pauses Path to NBA to Sign Long-Term Deal in Germany

The New York Knicks are coming off a championship season, meaning the NBA Draft wasn’t their biggest priority going into the offseason. In the draft, New York made a series of moves, swapping picks around, and walked away with two rookies they picked in the second round. 

One player they walked away with was Tyler Nickel, a guard out of Vanderbilt. Nickel was drafted for his shooting ability and impressed New York’s coaching staff during his Summer League campaign. Nickel ended his summer league averaging over 12 points per game and shot over 41 percent from three-point range. 

The other prospect the Knicks acquired in this year’s draft was Jack Kaylil, a guard out of Alba Berlin, a professional basketball team from Germany. Kaylil was drafted at 39 overall, and at 20 years old, he has decided to steer away from the NBA to continue playing in Germany. 

Jack Kaylil will not be with the Knicks, and instead he’ll be with Alba Berlin after signing a 5-year contract with the organization. Kaylil has been with the team since 2021 as part of their youth academy; now he’s taking the next step as a professional for them moving forward. 

In Kaylil’s last season with the team before being drafted to the Knicks, he averaged 12.2 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. 

Kaylil was not a player who’s known for his perimeter shooting. Instead, he plays more of a physical brand of basketball and is a playmaker as well. With Alba Berlin last season, he shot less than 35 percent from downtown. 

As far as what this does to the Knicks backcourt, they’ll be ready to start the season with their rotation filled out, even with Kaylil’s departure. 

New York brought back Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson, and Landry Shamet this offseason, three guards who played a role in helping them win the NBA Championship this summer. 

The Knicks also added youth with Tyler Nickel, who could emerge as a potential rotational piece if things fall in place for him this season. Nickel’s shooting and ball handling could make him a reliable player off the bench. 

Another young player to watch in this Knicks backcourt is Tyler Kolek. Kolek was a player who saw a decent amount of minutes in spurts for the Knicks this past season and had a big game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in which he scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to seal a win.  

The Knicks will need to continue their consistent play from the backcourt if they want to compete for a second consecutive championship, and the youth talent could take them a long way.