New York Knicks: Is it the end of the road for Frank Ntilikina?
By Ken Tavarez
Where does Frank Ntilikina fit into the New York Knicks’ plans?
The New York Knicks are off to a surprisingly good start, it is quite surprising considering that they have beaten some really good teams. One of the reasons for the encouraging start has been the play from the point guard position, which was considered an area of weakness before the season started.
Elfrid Payton (Elf), Immanuel Quickley, Austin Rivers, and even Frank Ntilikina have all played well. While that has been great for the team, it begs the question, is Frank’s run with the Knicks over?
The franchise’s 2017 lottery pick, the last reminisce of Phil Jackson and the triangle offense finally looked like he was figuring it out. But is it too little too late? Even the Frank Hive are going to have a hard time making a case to save the French Prince.
Point Guard Depth
While the Knicks haven’t found their point guard of the future, they have assembled a group of competent players to stabilize the position. Elf, who is considered the only true point guard of the group, has played well after a horrible start to the season. He has improved his 3-point shooting (35%) just enough to not be considered a liability to the entire offense. This has allowed the best part of his game, his ability to get into the paint, to impact the game.
Immanuel Quickley, a player that didn’t even play point guard at Kentucky, has been a God send. The early favorite to be the “steal of the draft” has played surprising well. He has been playing like a seasoned vet, making great decisions, and providing the sorely needed shooting gravity necessary to open up the offense.
Then there is Austin Rivers, a true combo guard that was considered an afterthought when the Knicks signed him to a 3yr/$10MM contract, with only the 1st year being guaranteed. He has provided veteran leadership and most importantly great play at critical times of the game. He has done everything from running the offense, to getting in the rim, to bombing away from behind the arc.