The New York Knicks are reportedly bringing promising young guard Dink Pate back into the organization, just days before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Pate is set to sign an Exhibit-10 contract with New York, marking an unexpected return following his unsuccessful attempt to transition from professional basketball to the college ranks.
The development comes after the 20-year-old withdrew from Providence College amid uncertainty surrounding his NCAA eligibility.
Pate had been expected to return to the G League, with Westchester emerging as his most likely destination. However, Scotto’s latest report now points to a direct agreement with the Knicks.
New York Knicks Set to Re-Sign Intriguing Young Prospect
Pate’s reported signing represents another opportunity for the 6-foot-8 guard to establish himself within the Knicks’ developmental system.
An Exhibit-10 contract is a non-guaranteed NBA training camp deal that can provide a pathway to the G League, although it does not guarantee a place on New York’s regular-season roster.
The late agreement will likely see Pate return to Westchester, where he enjoyed a productive 2025-26 campaign and emerged as one of the organization’s most promising young performers.
His return would also bring an unexpected conclusion to a complicated offseason that initially appeared destined to take him away from professional basketball.
After spending three seasons in the G League, Pate committed to Providence in April, hoping to continue his development in the Big East.
His agent, Sam Permut, had reportedly rejected multiple NBA two-way contract offers to preserve the possibility of playing college basketball.
However, uncertainty surrounding the NCAA’s eligibility rules ultimately prompted Pate to abandon those plans and pursue another professional opportunity.
According to Kevin McNamara, Pate had been working to resolve his eligibility situation for several months before deciding against risking his immediate playing future.
“Pate has been fighting with the NCAA for months over his collegiate eligibility and did not want to risk being denied and not having a professional position to fall back on.”
With that uncertainty now behind him, Pate appears poised to resume his development in familiar surroundings.
Pate Could Earn NBA Opportunity After G League Success
Despite being only 20, Pate has already accumulated considerable professional experience since joining the G League Ignite program in 2023 at just 17-years-old.
After spending the 2024-25 campaign with the Mexico City Capitanes, the versatile guard joined the Knicks organization following the 2025 NBA Draft.
His first season with Westchester represented a significant step forward, with Pate averaging 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across 50 appearances.
He also shot 34.6% from three-point range, demonstrating encouraging progress as a perimeter scorer.
Those numbers represented a considerable improvement from his previous campaign in Mexico City, where he averaged 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.
Pate’s combination of size, ball-handling ability, and offensive versatility makes him an intriguing developmental prospect, particularly given his age.
Although he went undrafted in 2025, his continued improvement suggests there could still be an opportunity to establish himself at the NBA level.
For the Knicks, bringing Pate back on an Exhibit-10 contract offers a relatively low-risk opportunity to retain a familiar prospect who has already demonstrated his potential within their G League system.
While a regular-season NBA roster spot remains far from guaranteed, another productive campaign with Westchester could strengthen Pate’s case for a future two-way or standard contract.
New York Knicks Pull Off Unexpected Reunion With Promising Young Talent