New York Knicks: Knicks finally have player they should’ve had all along

The New York Knicks made one of the worst draft decisions of the 2017 NBA Draft when they selected Frank Ntilikina with the eighth overall pick. But it looks as if they finally have the player they should’ve had all along.

When the New York Knicks drafted Frank Ntilikina with their eighth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, everyone was left questioning their choice. With players such as Dennis Smith Jr, Malik Monk, Luke Kennard and Donovan Mitchell still on the board, Ntilikina was a questionable choice.

We are now over a season and a half into the Ntilikina experiment and most were right with their initial reactions to the pick.

While Ntilikina is a fantastic defender he is horrendous when it comes to the offensive end. In a year and a half so far he has a career average of 5.9 points, 3.1 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game.

Not the numbers at all you would hope for from your top ten pick two years into the experiment.

Even though they missed out on drafting him, the Knicks finally got Dennis Smith jr. in a Knicks jersey. In the blockbuster trade that was the sale of Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas, the Knicks brought DSJ to New York in return.

In his first season in the NBA, Smith Jr. averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebound per game, a major step up from Ntilikina’s 5.9, 3.2 and 2.3.

In his three games thus far with the Knicks, Smith Jr. is putting up a great 21.3 points, 6.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game with one steal per game to go with it.

That is what Smith jJ. is averaging in three games with the Knicks, Ntilikina’s career highs are 18 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists.

One way or another, the Knicks finally got their guy in Dennis Smith Jr., but the pick of Frank Ntilikina looks even more questionable a year and a half in, and it makes you wonder what the Knicks will do when the 2019 draft rolls around.