Tyler Nickel spent NBA Summer League demonstrating that his shooting could translate beyond college basketball. His next game, however, may come on a college campus rather than at Madison Square Garden.
Nickel is considering returning to college and accepting a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal instead of signing a two-way contract with the New York Knicks, according to The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III. Edwards reported that the college option would provide Nickel with more money than the proposed NBA arrangement.
A recent federal court ruling created the pathway for that unusual choice.
U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a preliminary injunction making Division I athletes who began college in 2022-23 eligible for a fifth season in 2026-27. Nickel began his career at North Carolina during that academic year, placing him within the class covered by the ruling.
The NCAA is expected to appeal. Nickel also would need final eligibility clearance, but he has not signed an NBA contract, leaving a potential return to college in play.
Tyler Nickel Shows 3-Point Chops in NBA Summer League
Nickel appeared to strengthen his case for an NBA contract in Las Vegas.
The No. 47 pick averaged 12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and one steal across five games. He shot 41.3% from beyond the arc, making a Knicks-best 19 3-pointers on 46 attempts. That total was the second-highest by a Knicks player in one summer-league season, trailing Quentin Grimes’ 22.
Nickel announced himself by making six 3-pointers and scoring 18 points in his debut against Brooklyn. He followed with 16 points and four more triples against San Antonio, giving him 10 made 3-pointers in his first two appearances.
The 6-foot-7 wing also competed defensively, the area he identified as most important to proving he could hold an NBA role. His combination of size, movement shooting and effort made him an apparent candidate for one of New York’s three two-way slots.
Knicks Retain Tyler Nickel’s NBA Rights
Edwards initially reported that the Knicks had not tendered Nickel by the Aug. 5 deadline, but later issued a correction.
The Knicks made the required tender to Nickel and fellow second-round pick Jack Kayil, according to Edwards. That procedural move allows New York to retain Nickel’s NBA rights if he returns to college and Kayil’s rights while the German guard continues his development with ALBA Berlin.
A required tender is different from a qualifying offer. Under the NBA collective bargaining agreement, it is the contract offer a team must make to preserve its negotiating rights to a draft pick.
Nickel, therefore, cannot use college as a route to choose another NBA organization. Whenever he enters the league, the Knicks would remain positioned to bring him into their system.
The immediate decision is largely about money and development.
A two-way contract is worth $678,882 for the 2026-27 season and would divide Nickel’s time between the Knicks and their Westchester G League affiliate. A prominent college program could offer more through NIL compensation while providing guaranteed minutes and a larger offensive role.
Another college season would allow Nickel to improve his defense, ballhandling and ability to attack closeouts. The two-way route would bring him closer to an NBA rotation without guaranteeing that he would play meaningful minutes for the defending champions.
Nickel proved in Las Vegas that his jumper is ready for professional basketball.
The Knicks have preserved their place in his future. Nickel must now decide when that future should begin.
Tyler Nickel Weighs Major Decision After Knicks Move