The New York Knicks and Kristaps Porzingis are ready to bury the hatchet—insofar as each party acknowledging the other exists qualifies as burying the hatchet.
Since Porzingis skipped his exit interview with team president Phil Jackson, ostensibly sending a message that the status quo won’t stand, it was unclear if the two sides would break bread in time to decide whether the 7’3″ beanpole would work out with someone from the organization while in Latvia. It turns out now he will, per International Basketball Reporter David Pick:
Source: To appease Knicks front office, trainer Joshua Longstaff will join the Latvian NT for EuroBasket to work with Kristaps Porzingis.
— David Pick (@IAmDPick) April 26, 2017
If this is being set up, it’s reasonable to assume Porzingis is actually speaking with the organization. Whether that also means he’s touched based with Jackson, or head coach Jeff Hornacek, or general manager Steve Mills, or anyone who wouldn’t rank as an intermediary, we’re not sure.
It’s nevertheless good to see that Porzingis’ work ethic hasn’t soured because of the Knicks’ dysfunction. He’s earned a reputation as a diligent learner, and he could have easily cut ties with the franchise for a large chunk of this summer. But he’s also just 21. The impressions the Knicks have left upon him could have tainted his outlook or commitment in some way, shape or form, even if subconsciously.
That’s the danger of rampant chaos amid rebuilding: the affect it has on the young guns. And there’s no guarantee Porzingis is immune to the ill-effects of this disorder and misconduct. The Knicks will have to wait until the regular season to see if he’s truly too good and too committed for them to screw up. For now, it’s comforting, even if only slightly, that he’s once again working in some capacity with them over the summer.
