New York Knicks: Summer League players who are under contract
All eyes will be on Kevin Knox, but no one is under more pressure to perform at Summer League than Frank Ntilikina. Ntilikina was a force of nature on defense in 2017-18, but he was also a reluctant scorer and a hesitant playmaker who struggled to find his offensive niche.
At Summer League, Ntilikina will be tasked with proving that he’s improved his offensive game since the end of the 2017-18 season—and odds are, he will.
Ntilikina has been working to improve his handle, which will help him get to his spots on offense. Doing so will provide Ntilikina with an infinite number of options as a scorer or playmaker, as he has the size and length to finish at the rim or shoot over the average defender.
The key to Ntilikina’s development on offense will be an aggressive mentality, which head coach David Fizdale is actively attempting to instill.
When Ntilikina was in attack mode in 2017-18, he proved how much of a threat he can be in a scoring or playmaking role. It was a rare occurrence, but there are vivid examples of his upside, including his decimation of the Indiana Pacers in the clutch of an unforgettable comeback win.
If the Knicks provide Ntilikina with an opportunity to run the offense at Summer League, it’s fair to believe that he’ll make up for lost time by embracing the spotlight.