Knicks guard Tyler Kolek defending Justin Edwards in the preseason opener
Knicks guard Tyler Kolek defending Justin Edwards in the preseason opener
Five assists and no turnovers won’t win many arguments about a preseason game that the Knicks lost by 23. They should win Tyler Kolek another serious look at running the offense when Jalen Brunson sits.
New York doesn’t need every reserve guard trying to be its next leading scorer. It needs somebody to get the group organized, involve the big man and deliver the ball before an open shot disappears. Kolek’s passing is a reason to test that job, rather than judging him mainly on whether he makes a couple of threes.
Kolek had five points on 2-for-5 shooting, five assists and zero turnovers in 17 minutes against Philadelphia on Monday. He made one of his three attempts from deep. It’s a small sample, but the passing and ball security were useful even on a rough shooting night for the team.
Colin Martin’s SNY report identified Kolek among Mike Brown’s first four reserves, alongside Andre Drummond, Landry Shamet and Miles McBride. That was an actual opportunity to play early, not simply a late appearance after the starters finished.
Knicks guard Tyler Kolek at the June 2026 championship parade
Jun 18, 2026; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek fans a jersey during the New York Knicks Championship Parade through the Canyon of Heroes. Mandatory Credit: Brenden Willsch-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A Knicks bench role should come with a specific job
I’d give Kolek a stretch with a reserve center and established shooters against Washington tonight. Ask him to initiate the offense, keep the dribble alive when the first option is covered and find the next pass. Then evaluate the quality of those possessions instead of treating his points as the entire result.
Putting a young guard on the court without defining his responsibilities makes the evaluation less useful. If he’s playing beside another ballhandler, there should be possessions where he handles the setup rather than spending his whole shift waiting away from the action.
The point isn’t to hand him a rotation spot based on five assists. Those passes might produce fewer baskets against a stronger defense, and protecting the ball in preseason doesn’t establish that he’ll handle regular-season pressure. Thursday’s game at Madison Square Garden is the next test, not the final answer.
Shooting and defense can still cost him minutes
The case against a bigger Kolek role is reasonable. Opponents can make a pass-first guard’s job harder if they don’t respect his jumper, and Brown cannot overlook defensive matchups just because the offense looks more orderly.
Keeping Miles McBride or Jose Alvarado in the preferred guard combination is a realistic alternative if the defensive matchup calls for it. Jordan Clarkson offers another way to create offense. The Knicks have choices; Kolek has to make his particular skill useful enough to justify the minutes.
I wouldn’t try to squeeze every reserve guard into the same role. A group that needs ball pressure may require a different combination from one that needs somebody to get the center involved. Giving Kolek an honest test doesn’t require removing everybody else’s opportunity.
Tonight, I’d pay attention to the possessions where the first action fails. Can he get the Knicks into a useful second option, or does the group end up taking a contested shot anyway? His chance at more minutes will be stronger if the passing continues to help when the easy play isn’t available.