The Knicks are being “flooded with interest” in young big man Kristaps Porzingis, and the Celtics are among the teams interested, sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Multiple reports this morning indicated that Phil Jackson hasn’t ruled out the possibility of moving Porzingis.
If Porzingis is truly available, no team makes more sense as a potential suitor than the Celtics, who could offer NBA rotation players, young prospects, and/or future picks. Boston has also been seeking an impact frontcourt player to pair with Al Horford, who isn’t exactly an elite rim protector. Porzingis, who is capable of protecting the rim on defense and stretching the floor on offense, would be an ideal fit for the C’s.
Still, the Knicks’ asking price for Porzingis has been “very aggressive,” according to one executive who has been in touch with the team (Twitter link via Sam Amick of USA Today). One report from earlier today suggested that the Knicks’ asking price would start with a front-line guard, though I imagine the team would want several pieces. Porzingis is still only entering the third year of his rookie contract, which makes him extremely valuable and puts no pressure on the Knicks to move him anytime soon.
Another person with knowledge of the Porzingis talks characterized the situation as one of “job preservation” for the Knicks’ front office, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link). That’s an interesting way of putting it, since trading Porzingis and failing to extract proper value for him would likely spell the end of Jackson’s tenure in New York.
Phil Jackson would be an idiot if he dealt Porzingis instead of building around him, so I get the feeling that he’s just testing the waters and getting teams to the table to talk about Melo. However, mentioning that the Celts are very interested in Porzingis could help to reduce the Bulls asking price for Butler.
Phil Jackson isn’t that smart dude
Perfect time to solve the problem of Bradley and Thomas upcoming free agency dilemma. My trade proposal: Thomas, Zizic, Crowder, Zeller, and Lakers 2018 protected draft choice for Porzingis and Noah (to balance contracts) with Knicks likely declining Zeller’s $8MM option.
Know what? I would go for this.
No way don’t take on Noah and give up Thomas and a high lottery pick.
My thinking, Knicks will see value in dumping Noah. I don’t believe C’s will sign both Thomas and Bradley to max contracts and I prefer to keep the better defensive player Bradley. Draft pick? Porzingis is proven NBA rim protector and scorer which will require a high draft pick. C’s still have the no. 3 in my scenario and could replace Thomas with Fox or Monk.
do not mean that Fox or Monk are as good as Thomas; but with Smart and Rozier along with one of them would still be a good back court.
Don’t think the Celtics have a chance at Porzingis without giving up that No. 3 pick.
I dont think the knicks would do this. First off, they would want the brooklyn pick over the lakers/kings one. Second, Thomas would be a rental on a crappy team that already has Melo (shooter with no defense). Therefore Thomas wouldnt really have any value to the knickerbockers. I would think it would need to be some thing like Smart or Bradley + Brooklyn pick+ Jalen Brown as a starting point. Wouldnt be surprised if it would cost even more picks.
Why would you ever make that trade?
@socalbum
Owner is a moron! Why would he let Jax do this? Players won’t come to Knicks with jax there. Fire him…keep your best player.
Although Porzingis is a franchise player and a potential superstar in the NBA, this is a trade that could work well for both teams. Kristaps may just become increasingly unhappy in New York to the poor by where we wouldn’t resign. Knicks could get haul for him and Celtics have chance to win the East.
Knicks Get: Yabusele, Rozier, Jaylon Brown, Nets 2018 First round Pick, Lakers 2018 First Round Pick
Celtics: Porzingis (Duh)
And if the Celtics have any interest in Anthony still that would add an entirely new dimension to this talks
Dude 3 lottery picks (last year’s 3rd overall in J. Brown plus what could be the top 2 picks in 2018) along with 2 top 16 picks (Rozier & Yabusele) is way too much for Porzingis.
Of course, the Celts are interested. Who wouldn’t be? There’s no way Phil trades KP…he’s the only thing right now that Phil has done right. Moving KP would only close the books on Phil’s tenure as a GM.
Bradley, Rozier, Next year’s Nets pick, and Clips 2019 pick.
If Danny offers the 3rd pick,Crowder, and Smart I’m all for it.
Ooh yeah that’s a good offer too.
I like this deal too…
I’m thinking the Knicks would prob be more interested in the C’s #3 pick this year than the Philly/Lakers/Kings protected picks in the future, so if Ainge can get Porzingis, Hayward (FA) while holding onto Jaylen Brown and the Brooklyn pick for the chance to get Porter next year, then he is a genius.
If I’m Boston, I send Crowder, Rozier, Zizic and a combination of 2 first round picks, while picking up Porzingis and taking Carmelo off their hands.
Money doesn’t come close to working
Thats a good deal if you dont send melo too
money still doesn’t work
Trade #3, Lakers pick, Crowder, and Zeller for Porzingis
I was reading somewhere that PJ likes Drummond. Him and a this years number 1 might be a good trade.
I wonder if Phil is so desperate to get rid of Melo that he would package him with Porzingis to get him out?
So evidently, half of the people here don’t know that you need to match salaries in a deal lol…
I also find it funny that this is its own separate article from the original post about him possibly being available, considering most of the offers are Boston offers lol
Boston could offer Jae Crowder’s contract, Rozier, #3 overall, the pick they got from Philly, their own 2018 1st round pick or 2019 Clippers or Memphis pick or maybe the rights to one of their 3 stash players in some sort of deal with the knicks. Maybe the assets I mentioned plus Jordan Mickey and Demetrius Jackson to match salaries for Porzingis and Lance Thomas? Or maybe they add Tyler Zeller instead, and they can take back Courtney Lee, instead of Thomas
I’d have to think Porzingis value is probably about what it would be if Anthony Davis was actually possibly going to get traded, minus 2-3 good assets. He is still on his rookie deal, and it makes no sense to trade him, if you’re the knicks, unless you get a lot back
But I don’t see a real reason for the Knicks to move Porzingis other than Phil Jackson’s ineptitude
Boston has cap space and I think the Knicks do too so salaries would only have to be matched if they expanded it to also dump Melo on them
I just realized they both have cap space lol. Trade machine needs to have a 2017-2018 version up
As a Lakers fan KP or pg13? Gotta go KP
The only way KP gets traded is that Noah will be included in the deal
yes! save his career!