When it comes to the future stars in the NBA, everyone has New York Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis on that list. The 7’3 Latvian star has shined with the Knicks despite not being as much of a focus on offense as he probably should be.
At the end of last season, Porzingis grew extremely frustrated with the ongoing dissension in the Knicks front office, choosing to skip his exit meeting with the team.
Now, in a surprising move, the Knicks are supposedly considering trading Porzingis, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical:
New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is weighing the possibility of trading Kristaps Porzingis, an idea that’s inspired a frenzy of suitors across the NBA, league sources told The Vertical.
Even though Phil Jackson is considering the move, it won’t be cheap. According to Sam Amick of USA Today, the Knicks are asking for a lot in return:
On the Kristaps Porzingis front, one exec who has been in touch with the Knicks describes their asking price as "very aggressive."
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) June 20, 2017
That shouldn’t come as a surprise as Porzingis is already proving to be a truly unique and outstanding player, which is why the Knicks contemplating trading him is a shock. But they do know his worth and it would take a lot to get him out of New York.
The Knicks have reportedly made no attempt to reach or visit Porzingis in Europe since the end of the season. Additionally, they have met with Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen and view him as a potential replacement with their no. 8 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft.
Porzingis seems ready to take a huge leap next season, but now no one is sure if it will be in New York. Last season he averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks while shooting 35.7 percent from three-point range.