Kristaps Porzingis wants to remain in New York, but he’s also still giving the Knicks the silent treatment. He admitted as much during a press conference on Monday to announce his intent to play for Latvia’s national team this summer, per ESPN.com’s Ian Begley:
Porzingis said at the news conference on Monday that he did not meet in person with the Knicks to discuss his frustration with the club or his other reasons for skipping exit meetings prior to leaving for Latvia.
“To be honest — I don’t want to comment on anything that happened at the season’s end. Personally I did not have any contact with anybody from the club [since the season ended], so … better that [Porzingis’ older brother] Janis comment on this,” Porzingis said, according to the translated version of his remarks published by the New York Post.
It’s common knowledge that the Knicks preferred Porzingis not to play for Latvia this summer. That he’s going against their wishes is news by itself. But the two sides have to figure out a way to end this disconnect before it impacts next season. Per Begley, the Knicks aren’t even sure if they’ll be sending an assistant coach to work with him in Latvia, as they did last summer.
This lack of certainty is a problem. And again, it’s not on Porzingis. He sent a justifiable message by skipping out on his exit meeting. As the franchise cornerstone whom the Knicks have wronged simply by failing to forge direction and dragging Carmelo Anthony, his mentor, through the mud, it’s on them to reach out and begin the process of starting anew, both on and off the court, with their most important player.
