New York Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina is entering his third season with the club with a fourth-year option hanging in the balance, but general manager Scott Perry says the team remains undecided on whether or not it will exercise the option, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
Knicks head coach David Fizdale added that there is an “open competition” in the backcourt between Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr., and Elfrid Payton, per Steve Popper of Newsday.
Ntilikina played in just 43 games in what was a disappointing and injury-riddled second year in the NBA this past season, averaging 5.7 points, 2.8 assists, and two rebounds over 21 minutes per game while shooting 33.7 percent from the floor, 28.7 percent from three-point range, and 76.7 percent from the free-throw line.
The 21-year-old was originally selected by New York with the eighth overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft.
He appeared in 78 contests during his rookie campaign, registering 5.9 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 boards across 21.9 minutes a night while making 36.4 percent of his field-goal attempts, 31.8 percent of his long-distance tries, and 72.1 percent of his foul shots.
Because Ntilikina did not progress at all during his sophomore season and actually took a bit of a step backward, there was much deliberation in the Knicks' front office as to whether or not the club should even keep him past last year's trade deadline.
But, New York was not able to generate enough interest in Ntilikina to justify moving him, so it ultimately held on to the Belgium native.
The Knicks won just 17 games last season and have not made the playoffs since 2013.
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