Kristaps Porzingis Left Knicks Practice Thursday With A ‘Sore Right Knee’


Getty Image

After trading Carmelo Anthony to the Thunder, the Knicks have officially handed the keys to the franchise to third-year star Kristaps Porzingis. The 22-year-old Latvian will now lead the Knicks into a new era, one they hope can end the decade-plus long cycle of mediocrity they’ve been stuck in.

The start to the Porzingis era got off to a bit of a rocky start as the young star had to leave practice early on Thursday due to a “sore right knee,” per ESPN’s Ian Begley.


As Begley reports, Porzingis received treatment and can hopefully return to the court soon, but you can bet the Knicks will be cautious with their franchise player. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News confirmed Porzingis left prior to the Knicks end of practice scrimmage to head to the trainer’s room. Previously in his career, Porzingis has dealt with a left Achilles injury and occasional ankle tweaks, but this is the first time (that we know of) that his right knee has bothered him.

Hopefully it’s just a bruise from a collision that will not keep him out for any extended period of time, but until we get an official update from the Knicks, fans in New York will be holding their breath. The Knicks are betting on Porzingis as their future and he’s shown flashes of being that kind of franchise star, but this season will tell a lot about his ability to be the guy in New York and everyone wants him to enter the season at full strength.

×