LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 16: Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks is congratulated by Tyler Kolek #13 after a three-point basket during the fourth quarter as Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on in the Emirates NBA Cup Championship game at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 16: Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks is congratulated by Tyler Kolek #13 after a three-point basket during the fourth quarter as Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on in the Emirates NBA Cup Championship game at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
The New York Knicks have taken a pragmatic step to keep rookie guard Tyler Kolek playing — even if it means doing so outside the NBA rotation for now.
With Kolek once again on the fringe of head coach Mike Brown’s rotation, the Knicks announced Saturday that they have assigned the 24-year-old to the Westchester Knicks to gain extended minutes and maintain rhythm.
The move came as New York prepared to host the Houston Rockets before embarking on a three-game road trip. It remains unclear whether Kolek will rejoin the Knicks on the trip or stay with Westchester for additional run.
Knicks Playing Time Vanishes After Trade Deadline Shift
Kolek’s assignment reflects a changing guard hierarchy following the Knicks’ trade-deadline acquisition of Jose Alvarado, who joined the team in Boston last weekend and immediately carved out a prominent role.
Since Alvarado’s arrival, Kolek has appeared in just two of the Knicks’ last four games — logging a total of 14 minutes, most of them in garbage time. Alvarado, by contrast, quickly became a staple of Brown’s rotation, averaging 12.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 20.5 minutes per game.
The ripple effects were immediate. Minutes that once belonged to Kolek evaporated almost overnight.
Kolek Embraced Competition in Knicks Deep Bench
Despite the squeeze, Kolek has been vocal about embracing the challenge.
“There’s always competition in this league,” Kolek told The New York Post last week before Alvarado made his Knicks debut. “Obviously, Deuce is out for a little bit. We’re trying to be a championship-level team, so you bring in as much talent as you can.
“I’m going to compete every single day,” Kolek added. “Everybody on this team is going to compete for minutes. So it’s no slight to anybody.”
Before the trade, Kolek had settled into a modest but defined role as a backup traditional table-setter. He averaged 5.0 points, 3.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game, tasked with changing pace and initiating offense when called upon.
“Do whatever the team needs from me,” Kolek said earlier this season. “When I get in there, change the pace. Get guys the ball.”
Guard Logjam Tightens Around Brunson
Kolek’s minutes have fluctuated all season as he worked behind All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson and reserve guard Miles McBride.
When McBride underwent surgery earlier this month to repair a core muscle injury — an absence expected to last until the playoffs — the Knicks acted swiftly, acquiring Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Dalen Terry, two second-round picks and cash considerations.
That move reshaped the second unit’s backcourt.
Kolek and veteran Jordan Clarkson, both key contributors during the Knicks’ NBA Cup championship run earlier this season, have since fallen out of Brown’s rotation. Alvarado and Landry Shamet have absorbed nearly all of the backcourt minutes off the bench.
A Stark Contrast From Earlier Success
The shift is notable given how recently Kolek and Clarkson delivered in meaningful moments. The duo combined for 29 points off the bench during the Knicks’ dramatic comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup Finals — a performance that now feels distant amid New York’s rotation shakeup.
A brutal 2-9 stretch in January contributed to Clarkson’s diminished role, prompting him to address the adjustment earlier this month.
“It’s a whole new thing for me,” Clarkson told The New York Post. “But I’ll continue to be a pro and stay in the gym and working on my craft.”
A Reset Opportunity in Westchester
For Kolek, the G League assignment offers a chance to reset.
He is expected to start for Westchester on Saturday afternoon against the Cleveland Charge at Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York.
Last season, Kolek appeared in four G League games, averaging 18.0 points, 9.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 36 minutes — production that highlighted his playmaking upside.
Drafted 34th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, Kolek remains a developmental piece for a Knicks team firmly in win-now mode. For now, the priority is simple: keep him playing, keep him sharp — and be ready if the rotation door opens again.