It’s only been one week and the NBA offseason has already gone off the rails. The No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft was traded, two superstars are on the trade market, the second best team in the league is trying to acquire one or both of them and also fired their GM, and now, because it wouldn’t be right to have a dysfunctional offseason without them, the New York Knicks have arrived.
The Knicks hold the No. 8 pick in the NBA Draft and a youth movement should theoretically be coming to Madison Square Garden. Carmelo Anthony could be out as soon as next summer if he exercises his early termination option or the Knicks can find a trade partner he’s interested in, and Kristaps Porzingis is clearly the future of the Knicks organization. Right?
Maybe not. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Phil Jackson is not outright refusing to deal Porzingis and this has created a “frenzy” of teams trying to pry the young star away from New York.
Sources: As teams become aware Phil Jackson isn't ruling out possibility of trading Kristaps Porzingis, frenzy of interest is growing today.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2017
In an offseason that’s already featured some stunning reports and happenings, this takes the cake by far. Porzingis is under team control for two more years for less than $6 million a year and then is a restricted free agent. He is, if truly on the market, one of the most valuable players attainable in the NBA right now for those reasons. It’s no surprise that there are teams lining up to try and convince Phil to ship Porzingis out, and if Jackson does end up doing so, it would likely cause all out rioting in New York.
The Knicks have either not had a draft pick or have failed in successfully finding a star in the draft for more than a decade, and finally they landed a potential star in Porzingis. Now, two years after drafting him, the Knicks might send him away. The best part is the Knicks have already lined up a potential Porzingis replacement in this year’s draft, according to Woj.
Sources: Phil Jackson met with Lauri Markkanen in New York on Monday, a player whom he's considering at No. 8 should Knicks move Porzingis. https://t.co/44d8EqMoBm
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2017
The Knicks have been one of the league’s most dysfunctional franchises in recent years, but this seems even ridiculous for them. According to ESPN’s Ian Begley, no one from the Knicks organization has been in contact with Porzingis since he famously skipped his exit interviews after the season ended.
No one from the Knicks organization has been in touch with Kristaps Porzingis since he skipped exit meetings, per league sources.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 20, 2017
Begley also spoke with Porzingis’ brother — proving it’s not all that difficult to get in contact with at least someone from the Porzingis family — and got a statement from Janis Porzingis about Kristaps’ feelings towards the organization.
“Despite how the Knicks are treating their players, Kris wants to stay in New York. He loves the city and he loves the fans and he wants to win with this team,” Janis Porzingis told ESPN. “If he’s going to be traded, he’s going to play out his contact and decide his future on his own.”
So, in short, the Knicks have a young superstar that, despite all the things Phil Jackson has done to Carmelo and others, still wants to play for the Knicks and they are literally not speaking to him and are considering trading him. If this ends up happening, the pitchforks will come out for Jackson in New York.
