The New York Knicks have not gotten off to the best start to the season after winning the NBA championship just a few months ago. There is no doubt the team envisioned a much different beginning, but injuries have taken a major toll.
The Knicks are still a talented basketball team, but they had hoped to keep Bruce Brown. Given the number of injuries they have dealt with, he would have been valuable to have on the roster. Meanwhile, the team struggled to find a trade partner for Pacome Dadiet to open a roster spot for Brown.
“As the 2026-27 season draws near and teams contemplate roster spots, the Knicks and Lakers have both actively been exploring trade talks to move Pacome Dadiet and Dalton Knecht, respectively, sources told,” NBA insider Siegel wrote.
Dadiet was a former first-round pick who hasn’t received as many opportunities as he would have liked. He simply hasn’t been able to carve out a consistent role in New York.
“Dadiet, who was selected 25th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, has been unable to carve out playing time with the Knicks since he arrived. The French national appeared in 18 games his rookie season, where he averaged 1.7 points on 32 percent shooting. He averaged the same amount of points on 33 percent shooting across 29 games last season,” SNY’s Phillips Martinez wrote.
On Thursday, ahead of the Knicks’ NBA Cup opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, the team decided not to exercise Dadiet’s team option for next season.
“The New York Knicks plan to decline Pacome Dadiet’s fourth-year option worth $5.37 million, sources tell ESPN. This creates salary space on the Knicks books for next season and will make Dadiet an unrestricted free agent in June, where both sides could still discuss a reunion,” ESPN’s Shams Charania wrote.
After the Knicks explored trading him during the final week of the preseason, this decision wasn’t much of a surprise. The team seemingly has no immediate plans for Dadiet to earn a role or develop within its system.
It is simply the harsh reality of professional sports, and the former first-round pick will likely be looking at other destinations this summer. At least he will always have a championship from his time in New York if his tenure with the team comes to an end.
