Knicks' Rumored Rob Dillingham Move Is Their Latest Smart Gamble

The New York Knicks don’t have an open two-way roster spot, but that’s not stopping Leon Rose from taking another swing on a low-risk, high-reward former lottery pick.

A few weeks back, Rose brought into the fold Dalton Knecht, who was the 17th pick of the 2024 draft. Now it’s being reported that Rob Dillingham, who was the eighth pick in the same draft, will be joining the Knicks G League affiliate in Westchester, assuming the waivers process goes their way.

Rob Dillingham is signing into the NBA G League, sources say, where the former lottery pick is expected to join the Westchester Knicks, depending on the waivers process.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) November 11, 2026

The plan is for Westchester to hopefully get the 21-year-old's rights, but whoever is first in the waiver order could put in a claim. That team could then then trade his rights to Westchester to get draft picks and/or a player's returning rights. So the move isn't official just yet, but the fact New York is being linked to him hints at him ending up as a Knick—providing someone with upside on a minuscule deal.

The Knicks are expected to get an up close look at Dillingam in Westchester

Over the last few years, the Knicks have mostly punted on the first round of the NBA draft. Since selecting Obi Toppin eighth overall in 2020, New York has only come away with Pacome Dadiet, who was drafted 25th overall in 2024, from the first round.

The Knicks aren't exactly brimming with young talent. There's Mohammed Diawara, Tyler Kolek and not much else to be super excited about. The team is also trying to dance around the second apron so finding low-cost talent is needed to keep things humming.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Raptors were close to signing Dillingham to a two-way deal but ultimately decided to offer it to former Knick Kevin McCullar Jr. instead. Knecht took McCullar's two-way spot and Dillingham has a chance to prove he's worthy of a spot himself.

Dillingham, who has been unsigned since being waived in late September, is a reminder that draft-night hype doesn’t always translate at the next level. It’s also a reminder that teams often give up on young guards too early, especially ones that are undersized.

The Timberwolves moving on from Dillingham after two years is very telling after they traded three first round picks to move up and draft him in 2024. At Kentucky he impressed by creating separation off the dribble to get to his spots and looked like someone who could win a couple Sixth Man of the Year awards in the Association.

With his height and frame, the 6-foot-2 guard is still trying to answer all the pre-draft questions that hovered over him. Can he create space off the dribble against NBA level defenders with size and athleticism? Could he get to the rim and finish despite the physicality of his the league?

Dillingham is still far from a finished product, but worth a flyer

At his best, Dillingham uses his speed and handle to get into the paint and create havoc on the defense, creating openings for his teammates on the three-point line. He’s extremely difficult to stop when accelerating, especially without help at the rim. He has special burst, quickness, and shot creation upside.

Becoming a consistent threat in the middle of the court by hitting his jumpers and developing his floater will make the game much easier for Dillingham. He's shown flashes of being a playmaker and playing with a high motor. If anything, the shifty guard just needs to slow down sometimes.

Then there's the defensive side where he has to be a defensive pest to not get targeted. There's been times where he's been aggressive on-ball and fighting hard through screens. Dillingham has the talent to attack passing lanes and be a nuisance at the point of attack.

Sometimes a change of scenary and infusion of confidence can do wonders for a young player trying to find his way. Back in March, Dillingham told Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic that he was constantly looking over his shoulder playing for a Timberwolves team with championship aspirations.

“You start to question, like, ‘Dang, am I really good at basketball?" Dillingham said about the limited opportunites that he had in Minnesota.

Midway through last season, Dillingham was traded to Chicago as part of the deal that sent Ayo Dosunmu to the Timberwolves. In 114 NBA appearances, he holds averages of 5.5 points and 2.1 assists in 13.0 minutes per game.

It's very early in his career, but right now he looks like he's on the path to a career overseas. However, taking a gamble on Knecht seems like a worthwhile experiment for New York so far, and Dillingham could prove to be the same without any commitment right now.

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