Call me crazy but the Knicks need to start making some moves, Frank Ntilikina might turn out to be an exceptional player but just how good will he really be? I know he is young and needs time but I just don’t see a player who will be good enough to take the Knicks anywhere. He does not seem confident in his offensive game, he is timid coming off screens, his ball handling ability is suspect, and do the
Knicks really have time to wait for him to blossom? Kristaps Porzingis will be a free-agent in the near future and the Knicks must prove they are building a winner.
Trey Burke was brought up from the G-League and logged an impressive 18 points and 11 assists off the bench against the Denver Nuggets. Sure they lost the game but Trey Burke certainly looks like an improved play-maker and had no problem getting his teammates involved and getting the ball to his teammates in the right place at the right time. Not to mention Trey Burke hit crucial shots down the stretch and displayed the ability to come off screens and actually be a perimeter threat something I have been waiting on Ntilikina to develop through the coarse of this season. Frank does seem to fill up the stat sheet in the assist and rebounding department whenever coach Hornacek does give him extended minutes but he is not making a big enough impact as a play-maker.
I saw Trey Burke play in college and he was ridiculously clutch at Michigan where he played with Tim Hardaway Jr who has blossomed into the player the Knicks expected when they drafted him. Hardaway Jr became a better all-around player in Atlanta and has become the Knicks second option on offense behind All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis who is still learning to become a team leader. As much as a I love Frank’s on ball defense and his pass first mentality, the Knicks need an enforcer on the offensive end who can make plays fearlessly and take pressure off Porzingis. Maybe Frank Ntilikina develops more confidence over time but I like Trey Burke’s grit more and since he has a chip on his shoulder he will play better basketball then Frank Ntilikina the rest of the way and hopefully Jeff Hornacek realizes the difference between Trey and Frank.
Think about what Frank Ntilikina and Willy Hernangomez can get you? There is a player down in Phoenix the Knicks might be able to get, his name is TJ Warren. An old-school scorer who is not a lights out shooter but has a knack for scoring in a variety of ways in the post and is an exceptional finisher at the rim. Or how about giving the Pistons a call and see if you can get Stanley Johnson a small-forward who is built like a tank but has fallen out of favor in Stan Van Gundy’s rotation, maybe Stanley needs a change of scenery to tap into his potential. Stanley Johnson is a physical defender and embodies everything Scott Perry would want out of a player in New York, the options are unlimited but the Knicks must start taking risks to build a winner. Frank Ntilikina might someday become Tony Parker or he might just become a George Hill but the Knicks don’t have time to wait, Trey Burke is the point guard New York has been missing.
D-NBA 