New York Knicks player grades: Frank Ntilikina for 2018-19

A troublesome season for one of the New York Knicks’ youngest players kicks off the 2018-19 player grades.

Frank Ntilikina walked into the 2018-19 season with expectation for improvement, not unlike a sophomore NBA player. The New York Knicks selected him eighth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, and while the rookie campaign only provided 5.9 points on 36.4 percent shooting, the defensive abilities showed and that final stretch of the season gave him some momentum.

However, that disappeared quickly into the next season.

Ntilikina forced his way into the opening night starting lineup as not a point guard, but a small forward. It was head coach David Fizdale’s test of the Frenchman’s versatility, which seemed like a reasonable play. The youth movement then happened about five games into the year, which pushed him to point guard.

There were always questions of Ntilikina as a ball handler coming into the NBA. The frame and length were not issues towards handling the position, but his driving moves to the basket and an ability to create off the dribble were in doubt.

Maybe there was the chance for Ntilikina to improve on these traits, but he first needed to make a basket. He finished with just six double-digit point nights in 43 games and eight scoreless appearances, not counting the Jan. 4 game against the Lakers he suffered an injury just one minute into.

Whether it was confidence or absent ability, Ntilikina struggled to hit shots on a relatively consistent basis. That caused a drop to 33.7 percent shooting and a paltry 28.7 percent on three-pointers on 2.7 attempts per game.

For someone who failed to make shots, Ntilikina took an alarming 40.8 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. His attempts one-to-three feet from the basket also dropped from 17.4 percent to 15.2 percent, an area he shied from while settling for open jumpers that cost him.

The 20 year old, as a result, fell out of Fizdale’s rotation twice. The first instance happened in early December after back-to-back scoreless games, and he actually returned with 18-point and 16-point performances. Benching seemed to spark something, and Ntilikina was back on track.

Hot streaks always end, though. Ntilikina fell back into the rut that plagued him and averaged 3.6 points on 22.5 percent shooting over the next seven games. In between that, another scoreless game preceded Christmas Day, which he missed due to coach’s decision, despite having family in town to see the game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Ntilikina appeared in just 12 games after Christmas, three of which he left due to injury, two of which was the groin ailment that derailed most of his second half.

The groin strain arrived in a Jan. 27 loss to the Miami Heat and kept him out until March 22, long after the season-shaking trade that altered the point guard depth chart. He missed enough time to be forgotten, especially after what happened in the season’s first half, but Fizdale welcomed the former lottery pick back with 25 minutes against the Denver Nuggets, finishing with five points, five assists and four rebounds.

Just six minutes into the following game, Ntilikina reaggravated the groin, and his season ended after just 43 appearances. A difficult end to a miserable year for what should have showcased growth and potential for the New York Knicks.

Trade rumors were the icing on the cake. Ntilikina could not avoid them, from his struggles in November to the season-ending injury in March. Too many reports of his lingering future indicated how in doubt his Knicks status was for most of the season, and his last game of the 2018-19 season may have been his final one for New York.

Ntilikina’s season had defensive bright spots with his versatility on display. Otherwise, it is hard to find a positive in what was a missed year of development, and his window to be their starting point guard is potentially over with Dennis Smith Jr. and cap space around.