Frank Ntilikina gotta take the wheel

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty ImagesFree agency towers over the city skyline but no one ever seems to be coming. Even if you see a tantalizing rumor, and the certainty of stardom, there’s usually no one within reach. It’s all an empty feeling in your stomach. The fanbase’s vibes on Frank Ntilikina are harsh polarities. We’re either sitting in a sauna or an ice bath. This season is starting to look like a battle between the unstoppable object and the immovable wall on planet Frankistan. Lots of people will always find a way to root for the young Frenchman, whereas some among us are content to stamp an L on his forehead and laugh at anyone who held hope he could reach his ceiling, much less burst through it. Of course a James Harden or a Russell Westbrook could singlehandedly bring the Knicks up to basic competence. Same goes for whoever it is next year and whoever it was last year. Unfortunately, rooting for the mercenary is all bone and gristle. At the heart of the matter, we all want a winner.

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