Entering his now-third NBA season, this is the time where players in the same shoes as Tyler Kolek would be looking to take a big leap forward ahead of the next phase of their career. Unfortunately, Kolek is in a trickier spot than most being buried behind a star (Jalen Brunson) and cherished veteran (Jose Alvarado) at his main position, leaving him to only feast on the leftover scraps.

So far, this arrangement has worked out. But now in the back half of his rookie deal, it'd be no surprise if Kolek wants have a strong season to help his future self, whether he remains a member of the Knicks or needs to head somewhere else for his next chapter.

Judging by Kolek's start to this preseason, that looks to be the case. He's showcased his excellent playmaking, racking up five assists in the opener and another three in just 10 minutes during the second exhibition. He's also showed fight on defense (a much-needed element to raise his ceiling overall) with a steal or block in each game.

But perhaps most noteworthy of all, Kolek's been aggressively offensively as a scorer. He took five shots in the first outing off of the bench, then another four against the Wizards—including a try from deep (another area of improvement for the young PG) both nights.

Kolek very much looks like a rising player hungry to prove his worth to the Knicks and the NBA as a whole, but that could make things difficult for New York given the state of its roster.

Tyler Kolek pushing for Knicks rotation spot could make things complicated

On the whole, it's good for New York if Kolek makes strides as a player. Should he become a more reliable scorer, improve as a shooter from deep and take steps forward as a defender—even a little bit in one (or all) of those areas—the Knicks would suddenly have an even more intriguing talent on their hands.

However, that metamorphosis would also mean Kolek can't just be left to keep the bench warm and only come in when it doesn't conflict with Brunson and Alvarado's playing time. That's not any easy predicament to solve, especially when those players are traditional point guards and there's shooting guard types (Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson) who also need minutes.

It's clear New York values what Alvarado brings to the table, as he was made a priority to re-sign ahead of free agency this summer. There's also the fact the Knicks sought him out at the deadline and willingly parted with two second-rounders for a potential rental, then leaned upon his skill set in the playoffs (and even the Finals) when they needed a spark.

Retaining Alvarado sends a message that New York still doesn't quite believe Kolek is ready for more, or it would've entrusted the Marquette alum. Instead, the Knicks have Alvarado locked down for the next three years, but Kolek hits free agency in the summer of 2028. It's near-impossible to see Leon Rose paying two traditional backup point guards without one being removed from the equation.

As a result, Kolek possibly surprising the Knicks this season with a step up in play might prompt some kind of roster shakeup if he becomes too good to keep in a third-string role.

They could always reroute Alvarado, but he's built up so much good will as a championship hero that moving him doesn't seem likely. Trading McBride would free up a good chunk of reserve minutes, but unless Kolek becomes a true revelation, the former is still probably more impactful piece for a title defense than the latter.

As a result, it's worth wondering if Kolek could seal his own exit this season by standing out on the bench. There's teams around the league who'd be able to offer a large role or could use better backup PG play, and Kolek is dirt cheap with another year still on his contract after this one, making him a desirable talent to acquire. That could work to New York's advantage, especially if an interested team has a backup center with upside they'd be willing to part with to land Kolek.

While James Wiseman looks promising as a third big, holding up over an entire season has been difficult for him. And though Andre Drummond is impressing early on, the Knicks could use a center with more long-term viability given Drummond's only getting older (33) and faced his own health issues as of late. All of this means the Knicks' frontcourt search surely isn't done, even if there's pieces in place for the first couple months of the campaign.

Admittedly, a couple of solid preseason games may not immediately lead to any kind of Knicks trade spurred on by Kolek. But these performances just reinforce that Kolek is capable of more, and if that becomes too difficult to ignore, New York will have to reckon with it in some way.

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