New York Knicks: Is Frank Ntilikina’s role a blip or a trend?

Frank Ntilikina has a starting role in the interim for the New York Knicks, but will any of his playing time stick?

From “We want Frank” to “We’re starting Frank,” Frank Ntilikina has a role with the New York Knicks, no longer sitting on the bench, waiting for his turn to step into the rotation. Sure, Dennis Smith Jr.’s absence due to his stepmother’s passing and Elfrid Payton‘s hamstring injury have everything to do with that, but that does not mean the Frenchman sits back down when the team is at full strength.

The crowd went from the ones not being able to keep Ntilikina’s name out of their mouths to coach David Fizdale, who continued to praise his third-year point guard.

“Frank is really playing good basketball for us,” Fizdale told the New York Post. “I’m just really proud of the way that he stayed with it and his confidence is growing every day.

Ntilikina has not only started out of necessity but for his defensive presence. Scenarios with RJ Barrett as the lead ball-handler have taken him away from his shooting-guard comfort zone, so Ntilikina steps in as that guy, along with fortifying a perimeter in need of ball-stoppers, with Payton the only other player with a reputation of holding his own.

In the past three games, per NBA Advanced Stats, Ntilikina has a 97.8 defensive rating.

The offensive game finally showed something, as well, with a combined 17 points on 7 of 17 shooting in the past two games, along with six assists. Ntilikina may never be more than an average player at this end of the court, but providing some ability to make shots is imperative towards his long-term value and maintaining a role in New York.

When Payton and Smith Jr. return, that is when Fizdale’s decision becomes difficult: how does he use all three point guards?

Someone could be on the outside of the mix, as seen with Ntilikina’s “DNP-Coach’s Decision” tag in the season’s second game and playing just 18 seconds against the Celtics on Oct. 26. Fizdale is already cutting back the rotation, using only eight players in Friday’s loss, so returning two absent players only makes the playing time conundrum more complicated.

Ntilikina could find himself in a similar situation to the October slate of games if he falters for however much longer this opportunity lasts, and Fizdale wanted to break Smith Jr. out of his early-season funk. Payton, too, had provided the Knicks something passing the ball and defending, potentially warranting himself time.

Ntilikina can cement himself into a role for the New York Knicks now. It may not last as the starter, but someone who cleans up the defense and acts as an alternative ball handler. This team needs both.