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The mid-July trap is in full effect. The cool air pumps through the Thomas & Mack Center, stakes are non-existent, and our brains begin their annual trick of convincing us that an undrafted point guard is John Stockton’s second coming.
Truthfully, 90% of what takes place in Summer League is a hoax. Massive point-getters barely crack the NBA roster if they get their name on it at all. However, while box scores are about as real as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, there are translatable NBA skills that provide reasons for excitement. Yes, New York’s summer league squad looks a bit disjointed and unimpressive. Still, one massive bright spot shines through in the form of our latest second-round draft haul.
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Tyler Nickel possesses translatable skills, and they’re exactly what the Knicks’ roster needs most.
Plopping his current summer league performance on top of an impressive college resume, Nickel is getting Knicks fans all sorts of giddy. The most exciting part is that he brings very real value to the court.
To fully understand Nickel’s value, we first have to understand that he is not just a guy standing in the corner looking to capitalize on a drive-and-kick. Instead, he is a pure movement shooter. Massive mechanical differences exist between a static spot-up shooter and someone who can sprint off a screen, catch the ball on the move, position himself correctly, and fire away. Nickel’s release demonstrates both quickness and confidence. Observing his off-ball sprinting brings back memories of a young Kyle Korver.
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Nickel proved his shooting value at Vanderbilt. Connecting on 40% of his three-pointers while averaging over 7 attempts per game is staggering. If you need further proof of his elite shooting, remember that he shot 66.9% across all shooting drills at the NBA Draft Combine. That ranked him eighth among all prospects.
This matters a great deal for the Knicks right now. Ever since they traded away Donte DiVincenzo, the offense has lacked Nickel’s brand of defense-bending floor spacing. New York’s offense operates at a whole different level when a movement shooter…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/tyler-nickel-no-mid-july-160000260.html
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Publish date : 2026-07-15 16:00:00
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