Mohamed Diawara’s emergence as a real rotation player is an unequivocally great development for the 2025-26 New York Knicks. It is also, without question, an incredibly expensive development for the 2026-27 Knicks.
The 20-year-old rookie is set to be a restricted free agent. New York does not have to worry about another team outbidding it for him. If the Knicks want to keep him, which they should, they have the means to do so.
It’ll just cost them any genuine shot at once again side-stepping the second apron—and foist them into unchartered territory that severely limits their ability to improve elsewhere.