The New York Knicks could find themselves in a rather troubling situation before training camp even begins, as second-round pick Tyler Nickel is reportedly considering a return to college instead of signing his first NBA contract.
According to CBS Sports’ Isaac Trotter, Nickel is among the five second-round selections who are thinking about returning to college after a recent court ruling granted a certain class of 2022 athletes a fifth season of NCAA eligibility. That decision has changed the landscape for several drafted players, with NIL money now offering a legitimate alternative to beginning a pro career.
For Nickel, the financial decision isn’t as straightforward as it once would have been. According to the Nashville Post, the former Vanderbilt shooter had an NIL valuation estimated between $1 million and $1.4 million last season. That kind of money rivals, and in most cases exceeds, what a second-round pick can earn on a two-way contract or a non-guaranteed NBA deal.
The Knicks selected Nickel with the 47th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but he remains unsigned as New York has to manage a very tough cap situation. The reigning NBA champions have 13 players under contract and are trying their hardest to stay below the league’s restrictive second apron, which leaves them with very limited flexibility to hand out guaranteed contracts.
That gives Nickel some leverage. If the Knicks can only offer him a two-way contract, he can choose to return to college, cash in on another lucrative NIL season, and improve his draft stock before entering the NBA Draft again next season.
Nickel certainly has a case for betting on himself. During his senior season at Vanderbilt, the 22-year-old averaged a career-high 13.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 44.5% from the field and 40.0% from three-point range. His perimeter shooting made him one of the best floor spacers in the SEC, and it earned him a place in the NBA Draft.
He also showed out in the NBA Summer League. Nickel averaged 12.2 points while shooting 41.3% from three-point range, which showcases why the Knicks are interested in adding him to the roster. His shooting, size, and ability to move without the ball fit well in today’s NBA, where floor spacing is one of the most important skills.
The Knicks, however, have their own roster decisions to make. Reports suggest that the Knicks are still evaluating whether to use their final roster spots on another center, which could hamper Nickel’s path to a guaranteed contract.
If the Knicks aren’t willing to offer him a standard guaranteed NBA contract, another year in college with a seven-figure NIL deal could become a very realistic option.
It is a scenario that did not exist a few years ago before NIL changed college sports. Most second-round picks rushed to begin their professional careers, regardless of what kind of contract they were on. Now, elite college players can earn significant money while continuing to develop their games in a familiar environment.
For the Knicks, losing Nickel wouldn’t necessarily be permanent. They would retain his NBA draft rights if he returns to college under the new domestic draft-and-stash rules.
Still, after watching him shoot the ball so well at Vanderbilt and in the Summer League, New York might have to decide whether guaranteeing him a roster spot is better than risking losing him for another season.
