With Frank Ntilikina's departure to Dallas as a free agent the debate over the worth of the former lottery pick is over for the Knicks. Four seasons under four coaches and three team presidents — including Phil Jackson, who drafted him to run a system that was discarded just days after the draft — left him with a legacy of just 55 starts and mostly disappointment.
But in his limited minutes last season for Tom Thibodeau, Ntilikina did fill a role. As the season wore on and into the playoffs, Thibodeau would call on Ntilikina for one defensive stop.