Tyler

Kolek

The Knicks are on the road for two games: Wednesday in Cleveland and Saturday in Atlanta. Brunson might return to game action sometime next week, and traveling with the team represents progress. With Miles McBride (groin) and Cameron Payne (ankle) closing in on a return to action, the Knicks’ point guard rotation may return to full strength in the very near future. Delon Wright and Tyler Kolek will continue to handle the point guard responsibilities.

New York will be missing all three of its top point guard options in the second leg of a back-to-back. Delon Wright and Tyler Kolek appear poised to step up to the plate as fill-ins again, with Wright starting at point guard.

A starter in the Knicks’ last three games, Wright has reached double figures twice. He matched his season-high with 12 points on Tuesday while providing solid value in the rebound, assist and steals categories. Rostered in two percent of Yahoo! leagues, Wright hasn’t done enough to justify being rostered in most leagues. However, he’s done enough to earn Tom Thibodeau’s trust and hold off rookie Tyler Kolek, who continues to come off the bench. Kolek played 20 minutes against Philadelphia, finishing with seven points, four rebounds, seven assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer. Wright and Kolek will handle the point guard duties as long as Miles McBride and Cameron Payne remain sidelined.

New York will once again be down their top three point guard options, with Jalen Brunson (ankle) still sidelined. Delon Wright has started the last two games for the Knicks, averaging 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, three assists, 1.5 steals, one block and 1.5 triples while playing 32.5 minutes per game. Rookie Tyler Kolek has filled out the backup minutes, and while he is more than capable of dishing out plenty of assists in limited action, he hasn’t seen the bump in minutes necessary to provide standard league value.

Brunson did not provide specifics regarding what he’s allowed to do at this stage in his recovery, but he continues to progress. The Knicks’ point guard said he hopes to return to game action by the end of the regular season, which likely means he won’t be much help to fantasy managers during Week 22. With Miles McBride (groin) and Cameron Payne (ankle) day-to-day with their respective injuries, the Knicks are relying on Delon Wright and Tyler Kolek to handle the point guard responsibilities.

Sunday’s game will be the fifth McBride has missed with a strained groin, while a sprained ankle keeps Payne out for a second straight. Delon Wright was the choice to start on Friday, playing 30 minutes in a win over the Bucks. Tyler Kolek played 18 minutes off the bench, but staying in a reserve role limits the rookie’s ceiling.

To the surprise of many fantasy managers, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau decided to start Wright on Friday, not rookie Tyler Kolek. The decision proved correct, as the veteran guard shot the ball well and recorded a solid stat line in his 30 minutes. As for Kolek, he logged 17 minutes off the bench and finished with five points, five rebounds, one three-pointer and no turnovers. Whether or not Wright will be worth the risk for Sunday’s game against Portland depends on the availability of Cameron Payne (ankle) and Miles McBride (three), who were unavailable on Friday.

The Knicks are already without Jalen Brunson, and Miles McBride and Cameron Payne are not available for Friday’s game, either. After not being in the rotation, Wright moves into the starting lineup, while Tyler Kolek will come off the bench. If the minutes are distributed evenly, Kolek offers a higher ceiling, especially for managers needing assists.

Friday’s game will be the fourth McBride has missed with a strained groin. As for Payne, he sprained his right ankle during Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers, leaving the Knicks down three point guards, as starter Jalen Brunson (ankle) is also out. That leaves Tyler Kolek and Delon Wright to handle the point guard responsibilities, with the former having tallied 24 assists and one turnover in his last three games. Kolek does not provide much value as a scorer, but managers needing assists should strongly consider streaming him.

Injuries to Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride have thrust Kolek into the rotation. With Cameron Payne not returning after halftime due to a sprained ankle, the rookie started the third quarter against the Clippers. While Kolek shot 0-of-3 from the field and 0-of-2 from the foul line, he dished out seven assists and committed just one turnover. Since entering the rotation, Kolek has accounted for 24 assists and one turnover. If Payne misses time, starting with Friday’s game in Milwaukee, the Knicks will have to rely more on Kolek and Delon Wright (three assists in 12 minutes) than they want to.