Frank Ntilikina may want to stay with the Knicks after all.
New York has been shopping the 20-year-old guard and he “desires a relocation," according to a report from the Daily News. But, Ntilikina’s new agent, Bouna Ndiaye — who the guard hired last week — denied that was the case during a recent interview with the New York Post.
“I can just tell you that the fact he was not traded has nothing to do with this change of agent,” Ndiaye said. “Frank is extremely happy to be part of the Knicks.”
Ntilikina struggled with a groin injury and was limited to 43 games in 2018-19. He averaged 5.7 points and 2.8 assists while hitting just 28.7% of his 3-point attempts.
The Knicks will reportedly consider moving Ntilikina in exchange for an early second-round or late first-round pick. Multiple teams, including the Timberwolves, Magic, Grizzlies, Nets and Suns, all reportedly showed some level of interest in Ntilikina before the trade deadline.
Ntilikina, who the Knicks selected with the eighth pick in the 2017 draft, had an up-and-down rookie season, as well. He was in and out of New York’s rotation in 2018-19.
The Knicks hold the third and 55th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. They’re also expected to be in the mix for big-name free agents this summer, including Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
“We’re excited about where we are,’’ Knicks president Steve Mills said earlier this month, via the Post. “We know we’ll get a good player at three. So, it’s something we’re excited about and look forward to.
“We want to build this team the right way. We’ve always said we’re going to continue to work hard during the draft process. We believe we’re a team that can draft well and this is all part of our plan and growing our team.’’
The Knicks recently completed one of their worst seasons in franchise history, finishing with a 17-65 record. They last made the playoffs in 2012-13.
New York is also reportedly interested in Celtics guard Terry Rozier and forward Marcus Morris.