New York Knicks: 3 goals for Frank Ntilikina in 2020-21
By Chip Murphy
The New York Knicks saw improvements from Frank Ntilkina in 2019-20, but they need to see more. Here are three goals for him in the 2020-21 season.
Andre Igoudala averaged 5.7 points and 3.1 assists per game over the last three seasons combined. He famously bailed on the Memphis Grizzlies but still logged 3,618 minutes for the Miami Heat. New York Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina put up eerily similar numbers during that span with 6.0 points and 3.1 assists a game in 3,797 minutes.
There are two ways you can look at this. Ntilikina should be outplaying a past his prime Andre Igoudala. Or, Igoudala is still regarded as one of the league’s better defenders despite his pedestrian numbers. It depends on which side of the Frank fence you fall on.
Please make no mistake about it. There are only two sides. When it comes to Frank Ntilikina, you’re either an ardent supporter or a ruthless critic.
It’s not hard to see why it’s so easy to root for Ntilikina. He’s the homegrown kid who beat the odds. He was set up to fail. The executive who drafted him was fired a week later, and the new regime clearly wasn’t high on their young point guard.
Steve Mills traded for Dennis Smith Jr. in the Kristaps Porinzingis deal, and head coach David Fizdale preferred Smith — and anyone else — at the point. But Frank is still here. Fizdale is gone and Mills is in exile.
No matter where you stand on Frank, one thing both sides agree on is that he has a lot to work on. These are three goals he should set for the upcoming season.