Knicks could lose NBA Summer League standout for obvious college basketball reason image
The New York Knicks have three two-way slots open for their roster.
Will one of those two-way spots go to sharpshooter Tyler Nickel?
New York's second-round pick put together a standout performance in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
But his future with the Knicks is undetermined. Nickel remains unsigned, according to SNY's Ian Begley.
"There are reports that Nickel is considering going back to college, but league sources say he is all in on starting his pro career," Begley wrote. "Nickel is eligible to return to college in 2026-27 thanks to a recent ruling allowing players in Nickel’s class to return to school."
Why would Nickel, who averaged 11.8 points while shooting 47.2% from the field in Las Vegas, consider leaving the Knicks to return to college?
Well, there's one obvious reason.
"Nickel could presumably make much more money in NIL deals than he would make on a two-way contract," Begley added. "The Knicks could sign Nickel to a standard NBA deal via the second-round exception, but if they did that, they would not have enough money to sign a third center on a veteran’s minimum contract."
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Nickel finished his college basketball career at Vanderbilt after stops at North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
The Knicks, who also selected guard Jack Kayil in the second round of this year's draft, recently learned the 20-year-old signed a new five-year contract to play in Germany.
Kayil will become a draft and stash prospect for the Knicks.
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