The Charlotte Hornets have signed guard Frank Ntilikina to a one-year, $2.53 million contract, according to Sam Rose of CAA Sports and Olivier Mazet of Maz Sports. This is a partially guaranteed deal.
Ntilikina, 25, was selected eighth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2017 NBA Draft. Born in Belgium and raised in France, the 6-foot-4 guard spent the first four seasons (2017-21) of his NBA career in the Big Apple.
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Free agent guard Frank Ntilikina has agreed on a one-year deal with the Charlotte Hornets, Sam Rose of CAA Sports and Olivier Mazet of Maz Sports tell ESPN. Ntilikina played 47 games for Dallas last season. The deal is partially guaranteed.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 4, 2023
Frank Ntilikina made 55 starts in 211 appearances with the Knicks across four seasons. With New York, the Frenchman averaged 5.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 19.5 minutes per game while shooting 36.6% from the floor and 32.8% beyond the arc.
In 57 games and 26 starts of the 2019-20 season, the guard averaged a career-high 6.3 points per game. Along with logging 2.1 boards, 3.0 assists, and 20.8 minutes per game, Ntilikina shot then-career bests of 39.3% from the field and 32.1% from downtown.
Charlotte Hornets sign free agent guard Frank Ntilikina to a one-year, $2.53 million contract; 12 players are signed to fully guaranteed deals
In New York’s 122-115 loss to the Washington Wizards on Mar. 10, 2020, he recorded a career-high 20 points, two rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals in 30 minutes off the bench. The guard finished 6-of-9 (66.7%) shooting from the floor and drained three 3-pointers.
Following the 2020-21 season, Ntilikina signed a multi-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. In 58 games with Dallas in the 2021-22 season, the guard averaged 4.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 11.8 minutes per contest. Plus, he shot career bests of 39.9% from the field and 96% at the foul line.
During the 2022 offseason, Mavs owner Mark Cuban had high hopes of Ntilikina having a breakout season with the team. When asked about Dallas’ need for another playmaker off the bench, he mentioned the first-round pick.
OFFICIAL: We have signed free agent guard Frank Ntilikina. — @CorcoranHM
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) August 5, 2023
“People forget we have Frank [Ntilikina], who will be better this year,” Cuban said. “We went into last season with Luka [Doncic], JB [Jalen Brunson], and Frank and turned our season around more than a month before the trade deadline.
“I think Christian [Wood] and Frank both [are being underrated heading into the season]. In particular, what Frank did defensively [in the postseason] while being sick and banged up was insane.”
However, his stats regressed in the 2022-23 season. Last season, Ntilikina made five starts in 47 appearances with the Mavericks. He averaged 2.9 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 12.9 minutes per game while shooting 36.4% from the floor and 25.4% outside the arc.
This move by the Hornets was made just days after the team waived two-way forward Xavier Sneed. Charlotte now has 15 players signed to standard contracts and 12 are fully guaranteed. Guard Amari Bailey and forward Leaky Black occupy two of Charlotte’s three two-way spots.
Additionally, the Hornets have two unsigned restricted free agents (P.J. Washington and Theo Maledon) and have not yet signed second-round draft pick James Nnaji, who was selected 31st overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
