Tyler Nickel's Minutes Swing Early As Knicks Rookie Looks For A Role
Tyler Nickel, a 23-year-old rookie forward out of Vanderbilt wearing No. 55, is seeing uneven minutes through his first games with the Knicks. He is not on the injury report. His playing time has ranged from a season-high 20.6 minutes down to a DNP, with his role still unsettled.
By the Knicks Nightly Desk · updated 5 d ago01The story of the nightUp And Down MinutesNickel's workload has been inconsistent.
Nickel's workload has been inconsistent. On Oct. 13 against Toronto he played 20.6 minutes and scored 11 points in a loss, his biggest outing listed. Two days later, in a win over the same Raptors team, he played just 4.1 minutes and scored 2 points. In between, he did not see the floor at all against Minnesota on Oct. 12. Earlier in the stretch he logged 5.8 minutes with 3 points and 2 assists against Washington on Oct. 8, and 8.3 minutes with 1 rebound and 1 assist against Philadelphia on Oct. 5.
02Health And Roster ContextNickel is not on the injury report, so the shifting minutes trace to coaching decisions rather than health.
Nickel is not on the injury report, so the shifting minutes trace to coaching decisions rather than health. He has no injury history listed. Off the court, the Knicks added depth on Sept. 30, signing Jaden Akins to a two-way contract, according to a team announcement. That move adds another body to the roster mix as the coaching staff sorts out rotation spots, including wherever Nickel fits as a rookie forward.
