Frank Ntilikina would also like to know if he will play in Wednesday’s first season in Indiana.
Ntilikina, the 2017 Knicks lottery selection, missed the last two preseason games with Achilles pain.
He’s in a dogfight for minutes rotating with the depth of the Knicks ’back court and coach Tom Thibodeau announcing he’ll have a ten-man rotation.
“It will be the coach’s decision,” Ntilikina said after Wednesday morning’s shooting in Indiana. “As players we just have to be prepared to jump on the court when they call us. The options we have, we have many talented guards. This means many options for the coach.
“We will be a talented team. Right now, this question is more for the coach to figure out what to do. My job is to be prepared for all the matches. “
Monday’s deadline passed without 22-year-old Ntilikina getting an extension of the rookie contract, which was expected. Ntilikina said he never had any discussions about it and that, as previously reported, he will become a restricted free agent in 2021.
Therefore, his future remains murky and a trade deal should be a consideration for the Knicks if he is not directly in the rotation. Of course, the Knicks could also add French to a package for a star.
Phil Jackson and Steve Mills, who wrote Ntilikina at number 8, are gone. In addition, Ntilikina fired his CAA agent, Leon Rose, after his rookie year. Rose is now the president of Knicks.
“It’s what it is,” Ntilikina said about the lack of a contract extension. “I’m more focused on the game and the season. That’s what it’s all about: improving and improving every day and trying to make our goals a success. ”
After the second preseason game in Detroit, Ntilikina began to feel discomfort in Achilles.
“Something happened during the match, but the pain happened after the match,” Ntilikina said. “I am just fine. We worked with the training staff and the coaches to make me feel better ”.
Thibodeau has seen Ntilikina as an offside guard on the training ground, not at this time. Alec Burks and Reggie Bullock could end up ahead of Ntilikina in the depth box. Ntilikina averaged 15 minutes in his two preseason games and shot 37.5 percent.