The Knicks rookie first-round pick may have found himself in rotation minutes

New York Knicks rookie wing Pacome Dadiet could find his way into head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation early. After the injuries to Landry Shamet and Precious Achiuwa, the Knicks will likely have to give one of their rookies a chance to play serious minutes to have a full rotation.

Knicks’ rookie Pacome Dadiet could be in the rotation right away

SNY’s Ian Begley said Dadiet may have impressed the Knicks’ coaching staff enough to earn a rotation spot right away, as opposed to a role at the back of the bench.

“Late in this preseason, (Pacôme) Dadiet had exceeded some of the Knicks’ internal expectations for him,” Begley said. The recoil. “I saw him get some rotation minutes here.”

There weren’t many expectations for the 19-year-old first-round pick from France. However, he made a very strong impression during his preseason performances, averaging 13 points and 55% shooting from both the floor and from three in two games.

Dadiet brings some size and athleticism with a solid three-point shot, which could give the Knicks plenty of depth off the bench behind Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. Playing serious minutes as a rookie against a championship contender comes with a lot of risks, but Dadiet quickly showed he was comfortable in an NBA setting.

Giving Dadiet minutes could prevent overuse of the starters

The injury situation could allow Thibodeau to give the rookie a chance to make a name for himself on this roster. Achiuwa is expected to be out for at least two to four weeks with a hamstring strain, while Shamet suffered a dislocated shoulder and is seeking further advice.

Therefore, Dadiet could fill in the missing qualities of these two players, and playing him will also help prevent Thibodeau from overusing his starters early in the season. If he were to play, it obviously wouldn’t be for long stretches, but he could at least give some of the starters some extra rest as they navigate through injuries.

The Knicks open the season on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics. It is unclear whether Dadiet will see the field then, but the odds are in his favor to get playing time at some point to start the season.