Getty Frank Ntilikina.
The New York Knicks made a big signing this offseason in stealing away Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks.
In doing so, the Knicks solved their long-standing point guard problem for at least the next four years. There’s still a chance the roster could improve even more with the addition of Donovan Mitchell, but there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done on that end.
By acquiring Brunson, a hole is now there in Dallas, and while Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie are expected to fill the void, there’s former Knicks lottery pick Frank Ntilikina who could also benefit greatly.
The former number eight overall pick signed with Dallas last season, and while he’s always been a defensive stalwart, his offense leaves a lot to be desired.
However, somebody will have to step up, and Sports Illustrated’s Dalton Trigg makes the case it could be Ntilikina.
Breakout Season?
Ntilikina, a fan-favorite in New York despite never realizing his potential, had his fair share of opportunities to shine but it just never happened.
His first season in Dallas saw him post a career best in field goal percentage, but that was just 39.9 percent, so it’s clear he still has a long way to go before he can be considered a true weapon on offense. Where he can flourish is the defensive end, and he showed that in the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns.
“Though the 24-year-old struggled to find a regular spot in the Dallas rotation in the regular season or the playoffs, he showed flashes of the impact he can have on games when the Mavs upset the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals,” Trigg wrote. “His defense was particularly impressive, namely his individual efforts guarding Devin Booker and Chris Paul. He notably recorded four steals to set the tone defensively in the Mavs’ 113-86 win in Game 6.”
The guard only averaged 11.8 minutes per game with the Mavs last season, so he definitely has the potential to see more this season, but he’ll have to earn them. At 24 years old, there’s still time for Ntilikina to add more to his game, but it might be a bit too optimistic of an ask at this point.
Too Late?
Coming into the league as a 19 year old player is always a risk, and that’s something the Knicks took on Ntilikina. While he showed flashes of what he could be, he just never became it and it ended up being another wasted draft pick.
RJ Barrett is poised to become the first Knicks player selected in the first round to sign a second contract with the team this century, so that just shows how many times the team has whiffed over the years.
Barrett is presumably seeking a max rookie extension, but it’s unclear if he’s going to find that much from the Knicks. He has improved each season he’s been in the league, so perhaps this upcoming season will reveal his true value for the team.