New York Knicks: Frank Ntilikina injury highlights need for young guards
By Eric Snyder
The New York Knicks face a second offseason injury for Frank Ntilikina while two old guards back him up. This youth movement obviously needs…more youth.
When New York Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina missed NBA Summer League with a minor knee injury, it was deemed “no big deal.” Now that Ntilikina is in danger of missing preseason games with a groin injury, it is officially almost a big deal. Marc Berman of the NY Post reported Monday that Ntilikina was shut down halfway through practice with a groin injury.
Two minor injuries aren’t major red flags by themselves unless they happen to your 19-year-old franchise point guard. Furthermore, the Knicks need playmakers with Carmelo Anthony gone and Ntilikina can make plays. Also, without him on the court, the Knicks defense goes from bad to worse.
Throughout this offseason, Steve Mills and Scott Perry supposedly made getting younger a priority. Yet, when given the chance to sign a young point guard to pair with Ntilikina, they signed Jarrett Jack. Prior to Jack, the team had already signed Ramon Sessions to fulfill the need for a veteran presence.
What Steve Mills doesn’t understand is that a youth movement is not accomplished in one draft. These Knicks already had Courtney Lee and even Joakim Noah to serve as veteran presences. Signing one veteran guard makes sense, but failing to sign another young playmaker simply does not.
Playmakers needed
Taking age out of the equation, the New York Knicks need players who can make athletic plays. The Jeff Hornacek system will be up-tempo and the team as a whole will be near awful on defense. However, Ramon Sessions, Jarrett Jack and even Michael Beasley do not scream “athletic playmakers” or “elite defenders.”
Even if Frank Ntilikina heals and remains healthy, there will be a massive athletic drop-off at point guard without him on the floor. Knicks management failed the team by not adding another young point guard. In the horrible Carmelo Anthony trade, the team didn’t even get a first round draft pick, let alone a young guard.
It is possible that Jeff Hornacek sees Ron Baker as a burst of on-court energy for whenever Ntilikina is on the bench. Even so, there is no one on the New York Knicks who can come close to the athleticism of Frank Ntilikina. For the Knicks to not add a young point guard as athletic insurance is just one more Steve Mills failure.
The search for balance
Mills is clearly having a difficult time finding a balance between youth and experience at the point guard position, but no one ever said rebuilding the New York Knicks would be easy. The Frank Ntilikina injury does shine a light on the lack of youth at the point guard position. At the same time, there are two capable, experienced point guards ready to back him up.
For years, the New York Knicks have taken the easy way out by signing veterans or trading for supposed stars. Obviously that model didn’t work, even in a weak Eastern Conference. If re-tread veterans and Carmelo can’t get a team to the playoffs in the East, youth must be the only answer.
The new-look Knicks feature Kristaps Porzingis, Frank Ntilikina and Tim Hardaway Jr. as the foundation of their youth movement. Two of these three players have already shown a tendency to be injured (Porzingis and Ntilikina). KP now has both Enes Kanter and Willy Hernangomez as young forwards/centers to back him up. What young, athletic point guard supports Ntilikina?
For the first time in a long time, the New York Knicks are growing in the right direction. Steve Mills may be a flawed leader, but Scott Perry brings hope and sanity to Madison Square Garden.
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Either way, the Knicks need to get younger at point guard and small forward. In other words, the Knicks supposed youth movement needs…youth.