The New York Knicks needn’t worry about Kristaps Porzingis trying to find the nearest exit.
Not at the moment anyway.
Speaking at a basketball camp in Latvia, the 7’3″ skyscraper made it clear that The Big Apple is where he wishes to stay, per the New York Post‘s Marc Berman:
Last weekend at a basketball camp in Latvia attended by about 250 children, one youngster asked Porzingis in his native tongue why he wouldn’t abandon New York, and Porzingis sounded as if he’s committed for the long haul.
According to an English translation obtained by The Post, Porzingis answered:
“I feel that it is the best place to win. And if you win in New York, you are king. For the last two years, I have had so many positive emotions here that this is where I want to stay and that this is where I want to win.”
Even though these types of comments are to be expected following the dismissal of Phil Jackson, they’re nevertheless a big deal. They suggest the Knicks and Porzingis have had some type of productive dialogue, while also implying he’s on board with their vision.
And if the latter is true, it’s an even bigger deal, because it’s not like the Knicks have been a billboard for hope this summer. They overpaid Tim Hardaway Jr., they’re trying to trade Carmelo Anthony, and there’s always the chance they mistakenly mortgage the farm to try acquiring Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Phil or no Phil, Porzingis could very easily still be frustrated with the Knicks, particularly due to the Anthony situation. But, at least according to his comments, it appears he and the organization have found a middle ground—which, truthfully, means everything to a franchise that hasn’t had a player as important as KP for essentially decades.
