WASHINGTON _ It is easy to dismiss it as just the first preseason game. But as the Knicks spent the morning preparing for their exhibition opener against the Wizards at Capital One Arena the team already raised a number of questions.
Dennis Smith Jr. was sidelined with a strained lower back and while he and the Knicks continued to maintain it is a minor issue, he could not predict if he would be back for Friday's preseason home opener, also against the Wizards. And with Smith out, Knicks coach David Fizdale put out his first starting lineup and started the debate already.
Rookie RJ Barrett was in the lineup at shooting guard. But Elfrid Payton and Marcus Morris were in the starting lineup with Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox, the last two lottery picks before Barrett, coming off the bench. While you can make an argument for these moves _ allowing the younger players to learn and develop in a secondary role _ it also raises the same problems as a year ago, that the short-term players are being appeased at the sake of the future.
