A report earlier this week suggested that friction between the Knicks‘ young phenom Kristaps Porzingis and head coach Jeff Hornacek caused the Latvian to skip his exit meeting earlier this offseason. However, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that issues between the player and coach were not the source of Porzingis’ issue with the team.
Porzingis was reportedly frustrated with the front office (particularly ex-president Phil Jackson) and the team’s treatment of Carmelo Anthony. Issues between Hornacek and Porzingis suggest that his problems with the team went beyond Jackson and company. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported in July that Porzingis and Hornacek’s relationship “sat on rocky terrain” for most last season, partly because of his loud and critical treatment of the Knicks’ former first-round pick.
“We try to get good relationships with all our guys, not just the star guys,” Hornacek said to Bondy about his relationships with players on the team. “We’re talking to these guys every day. We see them every day. We travel with them. As a group we’re trying to do more things as a team, kind of family-type stuff. We’ll try to grow on that, that way.”
For what it’s worth, the Knicks have insisted that the organization’s future rests on its young assets with the 22-year-old Porzingis at the forefront. With key changes to the front office and the roster, New York enters 2017/18 with cooled expectations but a clearer vision for the future.
Below you can read additional news around the Atlantic Division:
- The “Process” of the Sixers rebuilding and trying to be competitive is over, swingman Nik Stauskas says to William Lou of theScore. The Sixers drafted Markelle Fultz first overall, signed J.J. Redick, and are hoping for healthy seasons from Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid If those elements come together, Stauskas feels the team can win.
- Jared Sullinger is one of several remaining free agent targets for the Nets, according to SB Nation’s NetsDaily (Twitter link). Brooklyn has two open roster spots and approximately $5MM in cap space, NetsDaily adds.
- With the Kyrie Irving trade complete, Chris Forsberg of ESPN writes that Boston can now focus on how the current roster shapes up and how the big three of Irving, Gordon Hayward, and first-round pick Jayson Tatum will mesh.
- While Celtics’ general manager Danny Ainge gave up a king’s ransom for Irving, CSN New England’s A. Sherrod Blakely writes that Ainge was right to complete the deal for the superstar guard.
Whoa, hold your horses…
…the big three of Irving, Gordon Hayward, and first-round pick Jayson Tatum…
Not sure you can put Tatum in any big three talk yet…perhaps you meant Horford? Even that’s a bit of a stretch in spite of Horford’s max contract. You need to be a legit star to be big three eligible.
Will Stauskus even make the team?
Nothing else out there to replace him
Anyone else a little concerned about Zinger? Fighting with the coach, fighting with the GM, spending whole games last year only playing when he thought he had a chance for a block.
I’m not sure I wouldn’t deal him now, his value is really high and I don’t know if he’ll ultimately live up to the hype.
He may prove to be a bit wacky, amplified by maddening NYC, unearned power, foreigner in a strange land, coddled, great natural talent… he’s a cauldron… I hope they worry about managing him. Ask the Mets post-Stawberry
Disagree 100% with Blakely’s assessment of Celtics giving up a king’s ransom for Irving. C’s were not going to give IT a max contract, anyone who watch Zizic play in Summer league knows that he is very raw and much more a project than prospect. C’s overloaded with shooting forwards even though Crowder’s all around play will be missed. Nets pick was the key and who knows what will happen with that pick. 2020 second rounder, Ainge threw that one in to allow new GM to save face.
Ainge had some tough calls coming up, and expertly turned the tables on them.