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Young New York Knicks point guard Frank Ntilikina is well-known for his defensive prowess around the league, but he still has been able to secure consistent minutes in the rotation.
Notably, he was brought in to defend Trae Young in the closing moments of Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs. Since he was brought in cold, without having played a single second of the game up to that point, he didn’t have much luck and Young blew past him to hit the game-winning shot.
At just 22 years old, Ntilikina certainly has a future ahead of him, but it just might not be with the Knicks where he struggles to get minutes.
Instead, a fresh start might be what he needs.
New Home, New Start?
GettyFrank Ntilikina, Knicks
A Bleacher Report article by Mandela Namaste suggests the young point guard could find himself in a much better position if he moves on to a new team.
Fresh starts have certainly helped players in the past and one that comes to mind just this year is Bruce Brown joining the Brooklyn Nets. Brown, like Ntilikina, is known for his defensive abilities, but he’s also been able to show flashes of offense being surrounded by the likes of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant.
Since he’s a point guard, Ntilikina’s situation is a bit different since he’s expected to be the primary ball-handler. Something that could help him out is moving to another team that’s similar to the Nets that has multiple ball-handlers.
This would allow Ntilikina to focus on what he does best, which would be defense. The example Namaste uses for Bleacher Report is Matisse Thybulle of the Philadelphia 76ers.
He’s become one of the best defensive stoppers in the NBA, and a large part of that is because the team is anchored by Joel Embiid and a strong supporting cast. It allows Thybulle to essentially stay in his lane an excel at it.
A strong supporting cast is key to success in the NBA, and even Hall of Famers can benefit from it. Remember when Ben Wallace left the Detroit Pistons and went to the Chicago Bulls? There was a steep drop off in production, and while a lot of it could have been to do with frequent clashes with Scott Skiles, some of it could be chalked up to a being on a weaker team in general.
Perhaps all Ntilikina needs to thrive and fully realize his potential is to join a team that already has set playmakers.
What Teams Come to Mind?
GettyLeBron James & Andre Drummond of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Chances are that a team who could use the talents of Ntilikina is one that’s already competing for a championship.
Names like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers are floated by BR, and it’s easy to see how he’d fit with either of those teams. The spot is sort of filled by Alex Caruso with the Lakers, but it’s hard to imagine there’s such a thing as too much defense.
Namaste goes as far as saying “the rest of the NBA should be scared” if the Bucks or Lakers come calling.
The Bucks would be a good spot and even the Clippers could fit if they want to get younger than Patrick Beverly.
Ntilikina will be a restricted free agent following this year, so the Knicks would have the ability to match any offer given to him provided they put in the qualifying offer. However, with him struggling to even crack the rotation, there’s a chance they wouldn’t even bother.
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