DETROIT — Frank Ntilikina was on the court, lightly working through drills as the Knicks completed the morning shootaround at Detroit Country Day School. But Friday night as the Knicks face the Detroit Pistons, and for at least another week, he is likely to be in street clothes when the game begins, recovering from a groin injury.
But just the fact that Ntilikina was with the team after the trade deadline passed might have been a surprise. That he soon could be paired in the backcourt with Dennis Smith Jr. might have been even more unlikely.
Ntilikina has spent his time in New York since being selected as the No.