KEEP IT SIMPLE
Nothing bold for Jax as he holds on to Kristaps, nabs French guard
The Knicks kept the Latvian and added a Frenchman.
After failing to reach a blockbuster for Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks selected 18-year-old point guard Frank Ntilikina with the No. 8 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, hoping they have their future triangle operator.
The Knicks had four Europeans on their roster last season, and Ntilikina, dressed in a maroon suit Thursday, becomes another one. Knicks president Phil Jackson fell in love with his 6-foot-5 size, 7-foot wingspan, defensive prowess and pass-first mentality.
The announcement of the pick brought boos and cheers mixed together from the Barclays Center crowd. “The big thing we liked is the size of this young man. We like his aptitude for the game, athleticism, actually the ability to incorporate himself in a winning type of a situation,’’ Jackson said. “We felt he had a real good feel for his team and how to play with guys.” Jackson admitted European prospects are more suited to being taught systems, such as the triangle offense. “I will bring the Knicks actually a lot of hope,’’ Ntilikina said. Ntilikina also will try to bring back a championship. In unprecedented fashion, Ntilikina was scheduled to take a charter flight back to France at 2 a.m. Friday to compete in the decisive Game 5 of the French League Finals as starting point guard for Strasbourg against Chalon.
Porzingis, meanwhile, is still in Latvia — and still a Knick. The Knicks held on to the 7-3 potential superstar despite fielding a flood of phone calls and listening to decent-sized offers from Phoenix, which had the No. 4 pick, and Boston (No. 3). A source told The Post the Knicks wanted at least a top-four pick and a strong asset, and one report called the demands “ridiculous.’’
Jackson brushed off questions about Porzingis, though his cold war with the Latvian is nowhere near defrosting.
“This isn’t the time to talk about that,’’ Jackson said. “This is the time to talk about our draft pick.”
Jackson added, “I think we have to start growing our own kids.”
Jackson said he believes Ntilikina is project who will play this season — likely off the
bench, but hopefully 20-plus minutes per game. It raises questions whether the Knicks are willing to give free-agent point guard Derrick Rose a long-term deal. It would make sense to renounce Rose’s rights and try to sign him without using his $30 million cap hold that wouldn’t give them much cap space in free agency.
“It’s different category,’’ Jackson said of Rose. “We’re listening.’’
Regarding free agency, Jackson said: “We have a lot ahead of us. We have free agency and there’s a lot of time before rosters are filled.’’
Ntilikina’s length is the new way to judge prospects, according to Jackson.
“Our game is really a lot about length and activity,’’ Jackson said. “One of the things we have to have is a defensive presence. We had players that wanted to get up and be aggressive defensively and play hard. I think that’s a context to which we want to carry on this next year and this is a young man who fits that quite well.” Emphasis on young. “They’re all young — the top-10 picks,’’ Jackson said. “So yes it’s a concern. We know this is a project-type of atmosphere where we have to build a player that is going to develop. We hope he jumps out and helps our team this year.
“I want a productive player in this draft,’’ Jackson added. “We want somebody who can get out there on the floor and help us out. We’ll take whatever his advancement is as a player. Grow into a role and come off the bench and become a guy that learns how to play the game — that’s fine.”
Ntilikina flew into Newark on Tuesday after Game 4 of his series and met with Jackson on Wednesday “for a long time,” the guard said.
“When I [left] this meeting I think it [was] one of the right places for me to be improve as a player,’’ Ntilikina said.
Had the Knicks made a Porzingis trade, they would have moved up to No. 4 or No. 3 to snatch defensive small forward Josh Jackson. But they feel they got their D guy in Ntilikina.
“It had a lot to do with it,’’ Jackson said. “He’s upcourt playing fullcourt defense. He’s aggressive. He likes to do that. He thinks that’s a big part of who he is.’’