Knicks could lose NBA Summer League standout for obvious college basketball reason

The New York Knicks have three two-way slots open for their roster. Will one of those two-way spots go to sharpshooter Tyler Nickel? New York's second-round pick put together a standout performance in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. But his future with the Knicks is undetermined. Nickel remains unsigned, according to SNY's Ian Begley. "There are reports that Nickel is considering going back to college, but league sources say he is all in on starting his pro career," Begley wrote. "Nickel is eligible to return to college in 2026-27 thanks to a recent ruling allowing players in Nickel’s class to return to school." Why would Nickel, who averaged 11.8 points while shooting 47.2% from the field in Las Vegas, consider leaving the Knicks to return to college? Well, there's one obvious reason.