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New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis has expressed his concern with the franchise, as reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski said, “In meeting with management today, Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis expressed his concern with the losing, franchise direction and an uncertainty that a culture is developing that will enable sustainable organizational success.”
Wojnarowski added that Porzingis is keen to play for a winner in the Big Apple but is looking for clarity on the future of the organisation and his role.
Porzingis has been out for a year with an ACL injury and may not return to an NBA court this season before his restricted free agency.
The Knicks are believed to be one of the teams that Anthony Davis would be interested in joining, as reported by Brian Windhorst earlier this week. Davis requested a trade on Monday and speculation has been rife that the Knicks could build a deal around Porzingis to lure the All-NBA forward to Madison Square Garden.
The games on the trade machine are only going to increase with this news. Porzingis was on course to become one of the league’s best players prior to his injury, but there is a lot of uncertainty about what player he will be after a severe knee injury.
The Knicks, under new coach David Fizdale, currently have the worst record in the NBA. Fizdale has not had the chance to work with Porzingis yet, and there is little incentive for the Knicks to improve. A high draft pick, or even number one overall, could be either bring in a future star or be used as the centrepiece of a big trade.
Porzingis’ concerns about the culture around the team are unlikely to change this season, as his absence is a big reason for their struggles. New York, if anything, could weaken their roster before the trade deadline as they look to create cap space. Highest-scorer Tim Hardaway Jr. is on a big contract and could be flipped before 7th February to give the Knicks a shot at two max stars this summer.
This might not change much, but it could make the Knicks think twice about committing to Porzingis long-term. While his concerns are understandable, there isn’t much else the Knicks can be doing right now. It creates yet another plot line ahead of the upcoming crazy offseason.
