In an absolute shocker, Kristaps Porzingis is on his way out of New York. According to multiple media reports, the Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of a seismic deal that will send the talented young big man to Texas.
News of the two sides nearing a deal was broken by Marc Stein of the New York Times. Stein brought word that the Mavericks had raced to acquire Porzingis, who met with the Knicks and expressed displeasure about their current situation earlier on Thursday.
The Dallas Mavericks are nearing a trade to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks, according to league sources
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 31, 2019
From there, Shams Charania of The Athletic got into the fun, saying that talented young point guard Dennis Smith Jr. would head to Manhattan in a deal.
New York and Dallas are in deep discussions on a trade that would send Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks and Dennis Smith Jr. to the Knicks, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @WatchStadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 31, 2019
To make things work out financially, Stein then reported that DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews would head to New York, with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee going to Dallas.
The Knicks would also receive future first-round draft compensation from the Mavericks and, by shedding the contracts of Hardaway and Lee, create the salary-cap space this summer to pursue two maximum contract free agents
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 31, 2019
One key bit of news that came later is that the Mavericks would apparently be shipping two future first-round picks to New York in the exchange.
ESPN Sources with @IanBegley: Dallas is sending New York a 2021 unprotected first-round pick and a 2023 protected first-round pick (1-10) in the deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 31, 2019
It’s a huge deal for both teams, as the Knicks receive a talented young point guard in Smith and an expiring deal in Jordan that lets them theoretically make major moves this summer. And of course, while it is unclear when he’ll be able to play, Porzingis and Luka Doncic are an astounding core for the Mavericks to build around going forward.
