Perhaps no player in Knicks history has generated more conversation and opinion than Frank Ntilikina. Almost everything he does – good, bad or indifferent – is debated with intense passion by Knicks fans on social media.
The final debate is whether the team should offer him an extension. Ntilikina is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract, making him a limited free agent next summer. However, the team has a chance to extend it into this offseason, perhaps gaining a financial advantage by trading certainty – a multi-year deal already negotiated – for one cap per team over several seasons.
By extending the 2017 lottery, New York would finally overcome the organizational curse of not signing a rookie for a second contract after Charlie Ward. It might seem like this doesn’t matter in terms of decision making today, but in the sense that Ntilikina would finally represent a young player who survived multiple regimes (remember, he was technically enlisted by Phil Jackson) to develop into a useful piece that is familiar. with the complexity of playing at Madison Square Garden.
Failing to invest in their young players, the Knicks constantly pay a premium to acquire talent from the outside. Ntilikina is only 22 years old, she won’t cost much to maintain and could prove expensive and difficult to replace her unique skills as a defender.
At the right price, his contract would still be floating in commerce, so New York can keep their options open if they ultimately decide he’s not the right player for their roster down the road. But right now, it makes sense to lock him up in a friendly deal that will keep him in New York beyond next season.