Kristaps Porzingis Ranks Ninth In ESPN Trade Value
Kristaps Porzingis has taken the NBA by storm in his rookie season, and it shows in ESPN’s Trade Value rankings.
Kristaps Porzingis has been one of the best rookies in the NBA this season, as the New York Knicks look like they have gotten a steal with the fourth overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft. He is further along in his development than anyone would have thought, as he has quickly become a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden.
That has landed Porzingis near the top of the Trade Value Rankings over at ESPN. The rankings are made up with projections from Kevin Pelton and an ESPN Expert Panel, and they all agree that Porzingis is already one of the most valuable players in the NBA in terms of trade value.
The 20-year old Latvian rookie comes in at ninth on the list despite only being an NBA player for eight months. He has come a long way from draft night, when he was heavily booed by fans. But, he has quickly quieted those boos, and become a difference maker on both ends of the court.
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Porzingis isn’t the only player from his draft class to land on the list, as Karl-Anthony Towns comes in at sixth place. But, the group is very high on Porzingis, giving him a net value of $73 million, which is the eighth highest on the list. Here is what they have to say about the Knicks’ rookie sensation:
"By RPM, it’s Porzingis and not Towns who has been the league’s best rookie. Only 20 and still adjusting to the NBA, Porzingis has plenty of room for growth. If he adds strength and moves to center on a full-time basis, Porzingis could be a matchup nightmare sooner rather than later."
Porzingis is barely scratching the surface of his potential, but the results thus far have been strong. Porzingis could profile as a center down the road, but right now is best fit as power forward next to Robin Lopez as he still learns the NBA game and adds some size and strength to his frame. If Porzingis can retain the athleticism and skill set that makes him so special at 7-feet-3 inches tall while adding size, he will become a special player.
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Thus far this season, Porzingis is averaging 13.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 0.8 steals per game. Those are impressive numbers given what people expected Porzingis to bring to the table as a rookie. The sky is the limit for Porzingis, as he should continue climbing the trade value list as his career goes on. Porzingis was the only player on the Knicks to make the list this season.