New York Knicks: Did New York choose the right point guard?

After LeBron’s comments early this week and a scuffle on the Garden floor, New York Knicks players and fans supported their rookie point guard. Looking back, however, was Frank Ntilikina really the right choice?

When it comes to the NBA Draft, everyone knows New York Knicks fans will boo their team’s selection no matter who they choose. In this case, however, the boos were a bit louder. Highly coveted Dennis Smith Jr. was still on the board when New York’s turn came at the seventh slot in the first round.

A familiar sound rumbled through the Barclays Center when the Knicks took yet another European prospect, Frank Ntilikina from France. His court vision and professionalism at age 19 caught the eye of Phil Jackson.

With a player with Smith’s potential still available, New York’s choice to take Ntilikina will always be in question. Frank currently plays an integral role off the bench, and Smith averages about 16 PPG. Not the comparison the Knicks were hoping for, but it’s still just the start of both players’ careers.

Dennis Smith possesses a set of skills that you’d expect any scoring point guard to have. He’s not a bad perimeter shooter, which was rare among guards in the 2017 class. Smith is most dangerous when running the pick-and-roll due to his explosive nature when he drives to the basket. A pick-and-roll offense centered around KP and Smith would’ve been a deadly masterpiece in New York.

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Looking at the big picture, LeBron was right. Smith should be a Knick because any sensible general manager would’ve selected him. He had the background information and all the hype necessary to have his name called at 8, and everyone thought that Phil Jackson would do it. Would it have been the better choice?

In terms of talent, I think both players are with their rightful organizations. Yes, the Knicks would’ve benefitted from Smith’s immediate success in the NBA. However, I don’t believe the team would currently be winning this consistently without Frank Ntilikina. He’s already capable of a starting role just fourteen games into the season. Frank has proven he can run Jeff Hornacek’s offense. While doing so he always manages to impact the game defensively and with his playmaking, racking up about 5.2 APG over the last six games.

Dennis Smith is currently taking the NBA by storm, averaging quality numbers for the Mavericks in the first month of the season. The size differential between the two rookies is a disadvantage for Smith. He also requires the ball in his hands to truly be effective, which is a problem Ntilikina doesn’t possess. His scoring ability, though, outmatches Ntilikina’s by a substantial amount.

Next: What does the future hold for the Knicks?

Perhaps it looks as if Dennis Smith is proving the Knicks wrong for not selecting him. It wouldn’t matter to him anyway, since he purposely didn’t provide the New York staff with medical records to prevent them from drafting him, but all options must be considered. The influence Frank has on his team’s success with such a limited role speaks for itself. Long-term, it looks as if Ntilikina has the greater potential for stardom.

Enes Kanter’s reaction to LeBron’s rough move on Ntilikina is the perfect example of how much Frank’s teammates support him. If one player can make this much of an impact on the court and in the locker room with just a bench role, New York made the correct choice drafting Frank Ntilikina.

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