Knicks Rumors: Teams Inquire About Possible Kristaps Porzingis Trade
New York Knicks Rumors: Teams reportedly inquired about trades for Kristaps Porzingis after he skipped his exit meeting at the end of the season.
New York Knicks rumors have picked up in recent days about some of their offseason plans. The Knicks reportedly have their eyes set on two targets in free agency to upgrade point guard; Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague. They could also look to upgrade the position via the 2017 NBA Draft, where the Knicks are reportedly enamored with international prospect Frank Ntilikana.
A big reason the Knicks want to add a point guard is to help the development of power forward/center Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis has been a topic of discussion since the season ended.
Porzingis skipped his exit meeting with the Knicks front office at the end of the regular season. He has been unhappy with the dysfunction surrounding the organization. There were also reports that Porzingis was planning a long vacation to Latvia and that he may not return to New York until closer to training camp.
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"“I do not want to comment on what happened at the end of the season. I haven’t made any contact with the Knicks,” Porzingis said during a news conference in Latvia late last month, according to a translated version of his remarks."
With news of discord between the team and their budding superstar, teams got on the phones. According to ESPN New York’s Ian Begley, teams have called the Knicks about Porzingis. They reached out to discuss possible trades after he skipped the exit meeting.
There were no reports about whether legitimate trade parameters were discussed, but calls were made. Teams are looking to take advantage of the Knicks dysfunction, which Porzingis has discussed at times during the past season.
In February, after a loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Porzingis said there was confusion from the top to the bottom. He said there was a lot unclear to the players, which made it difficult to succeed. This was echoed at the end of the season, as players do not like the triangle offense and are not fans of Kurt Rambis, a Phil Jackson handpicked puppet.
The last thing the Knicks need is for Porzingis to sour on the organization. He is a cornerstone of the franchise and their best chance of turning things around. Losing him would be a crippling blow and really set the franchise back.
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The Knicks have to work hard on getting back on Porzingis’ good side. If they do not, he could be gone in the summer of 2020, the absolute earliest that Porzingis can become an unrestricted free agent.