New York Knicks: 3 players likely to be traded soon

Will Frank Ntilikina return the Knicks value if he’s traded?

Ah…..Franky Smokes.

We know he’s a fan favorite and there’s a lot of Frank stans out there that aren’t going to be too happy about this, but I think a Frank trade is inevitable.

In today’s NBA, defense is not something that many players pride themselves on, so when you find a quality defender like Frank Ntilikina, it’s a rarity of sorts. There should be a number of teams calling the Knicks as the next few weeks progress who will be looking for what Ntilikina brings to the table — a hard-nosed, gritty defender off the bench. Unfortunately, similar to Kevin Knox, Frank has completely fallen out of the rotation but in this case, since the pre-season. He’s made very few appearances this year due to nagging injuries as there’s simply just not much room within the Knicks’ starting and bench rotations.

I do believe there are improvements to be made and some potential for growth, but the Knicks have tried every which way to set Frank up for success by putting him in better situations that suit his game offensively but to no avail. Coach Thibodeau quickly turned this team into a defensive stalwart in a very short period of time and while a player of Frank’s skillset should thrive on a team whose identity lays on the defensive side of the ball, he’s never eclipsed 7 points per game on a season and that simply will not cut it. The Knicks do not have a powerhouse, 25-30 point per game scorer to make up for Frank’s inability on offense.

Frank’s name and attributes still hold value, but realistically speaking, if he’s not utilized whatsoever, maybe it’s time for the Knicks to part ways and in return, find someone who can contribute to the team now.