When the New York Knicks gained Dennis Smith Jr. in the Kristaps Porzingis trade with the Dallas Mavericks, second-year point guard Frank Ntilikina realized his privilege of constant chances was coming to an end.
The former first-round pick has been a bust since entering the league, averaging just 5.9 points per game after being a highly-touted prospect from France. Another gift from Phil Jackson — however, Ntilikina is a stellar defender, despite his offensive woes.
The Frenchman has struggled in the scoring department, not for lack of trying. Heaving up jump shots and three-pointers in practice haven’t translated to live-games, but he may have finally cracked the code.