DETROIT – The depth chart changed with the acquisition of Jose Alvarado, but Tyler Kolek said he’s not offended and noted that Miles McBride is also out.
“There’s always competition in this league. Obviously Deuce is out for a little bit. We’re trying to be a championship-level team so you bring in as much talent as you can,” Kolek said Friday. “I’m going to compete every single day. He’s going to compete. Everybody on this team is going to compete for minutes.
“So it’s no slight to anybody.”
Kolek has bounced in and out of the rotation this season while flashing the playmaking skills that helped win important games.
However, Kolek’s defense and struggles to break the press left the Knicks searching for another point guard at the deadline.
They targeted Alvarado and landed him for two second-round picks.
Still, Kolek should get an opportunity for important minutes since Miles McBride is out until the playoffs after undergoing sports hernia surgery.
And Alvarado won’t debut until at least Sunday in Boston – he still had to complete a physical – leaving Kolek as the lone backup point guard Friday in Detroit.
Assuming full health from everybody else, the Knicks have a five-guard rotation of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Landry Shamet, Alvarado and Kolek.
“Try to do the same thing I’ve always been doing,” Kolek said. “Do whatever the team needs from me, whatever the coach needs from me. When I get in there, change the pace. Get guys the ball.”
The Knicks, who have title aspirations this season, stood pat at the trade deadline other than swapping Guerschon Yabusele for Alvarado.
Kolek said it wasn’t personally stressful.
“It was not much. I feel like there wasn’t a lot of talk about myself moving,” he said. “I feel like that would’ve been a little bit more stressful and more weight on it.”
