By Christopher DiGeronimo
NEW YORK- The Knicks have stumbled out of the gate to start the season, going 0-3 and losing in ways only the Knicks can.
There are a lot of contributing factors that have led to these losses such as excessive turnovers, excessive fouls, lack of defense, and the constant missed free throws. Other than those glaring flaws, there is also the lackluster play and the irresponsible management of the team’s back-up point guard situation.
Dennis Smith Jr. was awarded the back-up point guard job after returning from a back injury and only playing two games in the preseason. Smith Jr. has not rewarded the Knicks in any kind of way as he is averaging one point per game while shooting 9.1% from the field in three games. Smith hit his lowest point as a Knick on Saturday as he went 0-3 shooting with two turnovers and a -15 BPM.
Smith was showered with boos from the Garden faithful and was also given a going away chant of “we want Frank”. At the end of the game Coach David Fizdale told reporters that he would let Smith ride out the funk to a point.
On the other hand, Frank Ntilikina saw the court for a measly 18 seconds at the end of the first half and never returned. During these three games Ntilikina has been the odd man out as he is averaging a minute and a half and received a DNP on Friday against the Nets.
Ntilikina seemed like the favorite to land the back-up point guard job after having a strong offseason with the French National Team and a decent preseason. With the National Team Ntilikina averaged eight points, one steal, and shot 43% from the field and 33% from behind the arc in eight games.
Ntilikina is a defensive specialist with decent ball handling skills and an improved shot, which are all the things the Knicks are lacking in their second unit. For some reason Fizdale refuses to give him any kind of shot, and that reason is politics.
Politics in sports are not ideal but are inevitable. It is clear that politics are the force tampering with the back-up point guard situation.
General Manager Scott Perry and President Steve Mills acquired Smith Jr. via trade last season along with other assets in the franchise altering Kristaps Porzingis trade. The dynamic duo didn’t draft Ntilikina, so it is clear they don’t care about the development of the young French native.
If Smith Jr. were to turn out to be a bust, Mills and Perry would both look terrible. If Ntilikina were to be a bust, they could simply blame the old regime and say, “that wasn’t our guy”. Mills and Perry are going to give Smith Jr. every opportunity to succeed even if it means hurting the team and damaging the development and confidence of Ntilikina.
This current Knicks team was constructed to compete, and dare I say compete for a playoff spot. The team has only played three games and there is still plenty of time for them to improve, but if the Smith Jr. struggles continue Mills and Perry must swallow their pride and allow Ntilikina to get an opportunity to succeed.
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