The New York Knicks declared that they would not trade Kristaps Porzingis, who was the subject of trade talks before the squad fired Phil Jackson as president. According to Ian Begley of ESPN, Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said Porzingis is no longer being discussed in trades. "We love KP, and what he does so I don't see him going anywhere,” Hornacek said.
Before he was fired, Jackson fielded offers from other teams for Porzingis, who emerged as the Knicks newest superstar after he was drafted fourth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. Trade rumors emerged after Porzingis did not attend the team’s exit interview and went to Latvia in the expression of disgust over the team’s treatment of Carmelo Anthony.
Hornacek believes Porzingis ready to step up as leader
Hornacek said he is convinced that Porzingis is ready to emerge as the team’s top option on offense. "He's going to have to take that next step of just taking over. He's probably ready for that,” said Hornacek. Last season, Porzingis averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks for the Knicks, who finished with a 31-51 record.
With Anthony on the trading block, the Knicks are expected to build around Porzingis in the summer. The Knicks will also be an attractive destination for free agents with the departure of Jackson and the “Triangle Offense” that he wanted to instill in the team.
Knicks struggling to find taker for Anthony
According to Ian Begley of ESPN, the Knicks have informed people around the league that they are struggling to find a trade partner for Anthony, who stands to earn $26 million next season.
Recently, the Houston Rockets tried to deal for Anthony, but the Knicks rejected Ryan Anderson’s contract in return.
Anthony’s contract is the biggest hurdle in a trade as his cap hits will be $34.4 million next season and $27.9 million in 2018-19. The Knicks’ hands are tied due to Anthony’s no-trade clause in his contract. Earlier, Jackson planned to buy out Anthony’s contract, but after he was fired, the organization revived its plan to pursue a trade their superstar.
There were conflicting reports about Anthony’s future. Some reports indicated that Anthony plans to join the Cleveland Cavaliers once he gets a buyout from the Knicks. However, the New York Daily News reported that Anthony is thinking twice about leaving the Knicks due to his closeness to his son. Last season, the 33-year-old Anthony averaged 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season. In his 13-year career with the Denver Nuggets and the Knicks, he averaged 24.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.
