The New York Knicks have a fairly complete roster, but they do find themselves deeply in need of size on on the bench and because of that they need every big man they already have rostered to be in the best shape possible. 

That's why the news that Mohamed Diawara had fractured his left ring finger during 2026 Summer League and subsequently required surgery to repair it was so distressing and why the apparent news that Diawaras is back to working on basketball is so encouraging. 

In a recent video posted on X by NBA_NewYork, Diawara was shown working out with trainers in both the weigh room and on the court and by the look of it, with no splint or cast on his finger and him seemingly working at full intensity, so Knicks fans should feel confident in Diawara being able to contribute in the court next season without worrying about any complications related to his finger. 

With how limited the Knicks are at center, with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond as the only other two options on the depth chart at the moment, Diawara will likely be able to expect a larger role than the one he had last season and will likely be a pivotal late-game option at either the four or the five. 

With the way that he was moving during the video that was posted, Diawara looks to be stronger and more mobile than he was last season, which is a great sign for the Knicks to look at when considering his viability as an option. 

Last season, his rookie season, Diawara averaged 9.2 minutes per game in 69 games played and averaged 3.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists.

Those numbers could very well jump up with an increase in his usage and at just 21-years-old, Diawara will only continue to develop as a big man, something that the Knicks will need down the line, especially with Drummond on just a one-year contract as a temporary fix after the departure of Mitchell Robinson.

He may have given Knicks fans a scare by fracturing his finger months before the season began, but now that Diawara is building himself back and looking better than ever, there should be good things yet to come for the young big man and should he be able to prove that he can step up off the bench when the Knicks call upon him, he could secure himself as a reliable support piece well into the future.