Dillon Jones Contract Risk: Knicks Face Potential Loss of Rising Star

The New York Knicks may have quietly uncovered an overlooked talent with their latest signing, announcing on Tuesday that they had added Dillon Jones on a two-way contract. Jones was pried away from the Portland Trail Blazers‘ G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix. Despite being in the midst of a breakout season in the NBA’s developmental league, he was never secured to an NBA or two-way deal by Portland. Because Jones was operating on a standard G League contract, the Knicks were able to step in and sign him outright without compensation. It was a shrewd piece of business by New York’s front office, one that aligns with a growing league-wide trend of capitalising on unsecured G League talent. But while the Knicks may have gained an under-the-radar contributor in Jones, they could just as easily find themselves on the other side of that equation. New York Knicks Monitor Rising G League Prospect Few players are generating more attention in the G League right now than Dink Pate. Signed to the Knicks’ affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, Pate remains on a standard G League contract, meaning he’s free to sign with any NBA team on a two-way, 10-day, or standard deal if an opportunity arises. The 19-year-old has long been viewed as a high-upside prospect. He became the youngest known professional basketball player in United States history when he skipped his final year of high school to turn pro at 17, signing with the G League Ignite. Raw and unpolished for a large part of his career, this season has marked a clear turning point in his development. Through 27 G League games, Pate is averaging 18.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. That production represents a significant jump from the 2024-25 season, when he averaged 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists with the Mexico City Capitanes. His shooting numbers have steadily improved as well. While his season averages sit at 38.5% from the field and 35.5% from three, he’s raised those marks to 41.0% overall and an impressive 41.4% from beyond the arc over the first 13 games of the regular season. On December 3, Pate exploded for 37 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists, and three steals against the College Park Skyhawks, drilling five three-pointers. On January 9, he followed that up with a 31-point outing against the Stockton Kings, tying his career-high with eight made threes while committing zero turnovers. He has recorded six games with double-digit rebounds this season and added three blocks to a 22-point, 11-rebound, eight-assist performance against the Birmingham Squadron in late December. The frequency of these outings suggests his surge is more than a brief hot streak and more a sign of sustained growth. Knicks Face Familiar G League Dilemma At 6-foot-8 while operating primarily as a guard, Pate’s size, versatility, and growing offensive confidence make him a rare developmental profile. He now has 108 professional games under his belt and is handling one of the heaviest workloads in the league. Pate ranks sixth in the G League in total minutes played at 923, sits 14th in total points with 486, and is fourth in made three-pointers at 89. His 181 rebounds are the second-most among guards league-wide, highlighting his physicality and versatility. After going undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, Westchester moved quickly to acquire Pate’s returning player rights following his stint with the Knicks during Summer League. The organisation clearly viewed him as a long-term project rather than a finished product, but that evaluation may now be evolving. The challenge for New York is flexibility. All of the Knicks’ two-way spots are currently occupied by Jones, Trey Jemison, and Kevin McCullar Jr., leaving limited immediate pathways to secure Pate internally. Earlier this month, the Houston Rockets capitalised on a similar situation by signing the G League’s top scorer, Tristen Newton, to a two-way deal after he remained on a standard contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ affiliate, the Iowa Wolves. That threat grows as the season progresses, as struggling teams often shut down key players after the All-Star break while turning their focus towards the following season’s roster construction, typically triggering a wave of G League call-ups and 10-day contracts. Pate is unlikely to step into New York’s NBA rotation and solve short-term issues. But his rapidly emerging upside is unmistakable, and it’s the kind of profile that front offices across the league are constantly monitoring. The Knicks may have just landed value on the margins with Jones. The question now is whether they can protect a rising asset before someone else makes the next move. Uncertainty Grows Around Pate’s Next Move In the latest developments, there is growing uncertainty surrounding Pate’s immediate path. “Dink Pate is increasingly exploring college options, his agent Sam Permut of Roc Nation tells DraftExpress,” draft expert Jonathan Givony reported on Wednesday. “The 19-year-old former G League Ignite product has declined multiple two-way offers from NBA teams to preserve his NCAA eligibility.” The report adds another layer of complexity to Pate’s future and shows just how fluid his situation remains as interest around the league continues to build.