With the additions of both Trey Burke and Emmanuel Mudiay, have the New York Knicks already given up on rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina?
When New York Knicks selected Frank Ntilikina with the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, it was met with some skepticism. After all, high-flyer Dennis Smith Jr. was still on the board, and he projected to have a much higher ceiling than Ntilikina.
But the Knicks wanted defense, so they selected the Frenchman, expecting him to grow and improve with each game. He’d be more of a project than a finished product, and that was something the Knicks were willing to wait for.
And yet, two of the Knicks’ most recent transactions both seem to point to the idea that maybe the front office doesn’t believe in their lottery pick—so soon after having to justify the selection.
Already having Ntilikina, Jarrett Jack, and Ramon Sessions on the roster, the Knicks thought it’d be beneficial to waive Sessions to bring in Trey Burke.
At only 6’0″, Burke can only play the point guard position, seemingly taking away both minutes and opportunities from Ntilikina.
Then, as the trade deadline was coming to a close, it was reported that the Knicks swung a deal for Denver Nuggets point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, a rumored possible pick of the Knicks back in the 2015 draft.
Mudiay is 6’5″ and 200 pounds with the capability of guarding bigger players out on the perimeter. But on the offensive side, he needs the ball in his hands more often than not.
It’s unclear how often Ntilikina will share the court with one or both of his new teammates. After all, head coach Jeff Hornacek deployed a miniature guard lineup with Isaiah Thomas, Goran Dragic, and Eric Bledsoe when he was in Phoenix.
But isn’t Ntilikina supposed to be the point guard of the future for the Knicks? Isn’t he supposed to help build an elite defense?
Jarrett Jack has embraced the role of being a mentor to Ntilikina, so it makes sense to keep him around. But with Burke and Mudiay both on the roster, it makes it nearly impossible for Ntilikina to get consistent minutes.
And if he can’t get consistent minutes, how is he supposed to grow as a player?
Nobody knows what Ntilikina’s ceiling as a player is, but the Knicks as an organization owe it to the fans to find out how high it is.
Must Read: Five reasons to love the Emmanuel Mudiay trade
The New York Knicks shocked a lot of people when they selected Ntilikina in the 2017 NBA Draft. Bringing in two other point guards just midway through his rookie season may say a lot about how they feel about it.