According to the source, that young player preferably is Knox, the ninth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign. The Knicks have a trove of first-round picks to deal (seven first-round picks in the next four drafts). However, the belief is they’d prefer to keep the 20-year-old Knox out of any Pual scenario and offer up either of their 2017 lottery-pick point guards, Frank Ntilikina or Dennis Smith Jr., restricted free agents in 2021.
Frank Ntilikina Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: G
Born: 07/28/98
Height: 6-4 / 1.93
Weight:190 lbs. / 86.2 kg.
Salary: $4,855,800
Born: 07/28/98
Height: 6-4 / 1.93
Weight:190 lbs. / 86.2 kg.
Salary: $4,855,800
One NBA personnel man said Dallas’ two first-round picks (2021, 2023), Julius Randle and Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina could whet the Pacers’ appetite. The 28-year-old Oladipo made the All-Star teams in 2018 and 2019, but could have lost explosiveness after tearing a tendon in his knee late in the 2018-19 season. Oladipo didn’t look sharp upon his return.
Ian Begley: PG Theo Maledon said he spoke to the Knicks a couple of weeks ago. That’s notable because it was after the Lottery results were determined. Maledon has spoken to nine teams overall and he’s talked to Frank Ntilikina about life in the NBA.
Ntilikina and Smith both are in the final years of their rookie contracts and haven’t lit the league on fire yet. They have vastly different styles. Ntilikina is a playmaker and defender, while Smith is a scorer and penetrator. Smith has even changed his jersey number to No. 4 — which he wore at North Carolina State. “We’re three days in, so I’m getting to know both guys,’’ Thibodeau said after the third day of voluntary group practices that is part of the NBA’s in-market OTAs for the “Delete 8.’’
“I like what they’ve done so far. They got to continue to work. There’s often times ups and downs for young players. There’s a learning curve they have to go through. Some experiences will be better than others. “They both have had some good moments in the league. You want to build a consistency. And how do you get there? You have to do it through your work. You have to learn from the experiences. And you have to be disciplined. And so, hopefully we can get there this is a very important offseason for both players.”
