Report: Phoenix Suns inquired about Knicks’ point guard Ntilikina
Nov 30, 2018, 11:16 AM
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
The Phoenix Suns have cast a wide net in their search for a point guard and their most recent rumored target was a top NBA draft selection.
The team reached out to the New York Knicks about point guard Frank Ntilikina, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley.
Ntilikina, the eighth overall pick in the 2017 draft, has had a rough start to his NBA career.
The 20-year-old is averaging 5.9 points per game and 2.7 assists per game this season on 33 percent shooting.
Ntilikina averaged similar numbers as a rookie (5.9 PPG, 3.2 APG) and shot 36 percent.
Begley said when the Suns contacted the Knicks about Ntilikina earlier this year, the Knicks were not open to a trade.
Whether that’s changed recently is a mystery, but Ntilikina hasn’t started in any of the Knicks’ previous nine games after starting the first 14 of the season.
The Suns have just two true point guards on their roster — rookies Elie Okobo and DeAnthony Melton — after Isaiah Canaan was released Wednesday.
Devin Booker and Jamal Crawford have also shared point guard duties this season.