The Knicks didn’t land the top stars they targeted in free agency, but management still believes the January trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks was the right move, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post.
New York acquired Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and a pair of first-round picks in that deal, but most importantly the team opened enough cap room for two max salary offers by unloading Porzingis, who would have been a restricted free agent, along with the unwanted contracts of Courtney Lee, Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.
The trade led to five months of speculation that Kevin Durant was serious about joining the Knicks and would bring another star with him, possibly Kyrie Irving. However, Durant and Irving opted for Brooklyn, while New York filled its roster with a collection of vets on short-term contracts.
The situation looks worse after Durant gave an interview this week in which he claims he never considered the Knicks. That comment drew some skepticism throughout the league, according to Berman, but New York’s front office stands behind the Porzingis decision regardless.
Sources tell Berman that a rift had been building between the two sides long before Porzingis met with the front office to request a trade. Management thought it would be a waste of time to try to convince the injured star to stay and was concerned that his cap hold would interfere with the team’s free agency plans.
The Knicks also never believed that Janis Porzingis, who serves as his brother’s representative, would let Kristaps play last season, even if tests showed he was fully recovered from an ACL injury. Janis’ priority was to protect the $158MM deal that Kristaps eventually got from Dallas.
Berman suggests that New York might have sought more young assets in the deal if it had a clue that free agency would turn out the way it did. Even so, the Knicks were happy to add Smith to their backcourt and believe the two first-rounders will eventually prove valuable.
Team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry have confidence in the players they signed after their top targets were off the board, Berman adds. Mills views this as the third season of the rebuilding plan, noting that the one-year deals offer plenty of flexibility to acquire the next star player who becomes available.
Berman points out that Anthony Davis will top the free agent market next July and his agent, Rich Paul, likes the prospect of bringing his client to New York if things don’t work out with the Lakers.
Management think they’re right, interesting.
“Knicks regret trading Porzingis. Admit they have no idea what they’re doing.”
Why keep him he don’t want to be there, the Knicks is going to do well
No they isn’t
LOL sometimes I wonder
Narrator: They were full of crap
I hope Kristaps scores 50 on them when the Mavs visit Madison Square Garden
not gonna happen, buddy
It might, it might not
166 50+ point games since 2000-01 (19 seasons). 1 of those by Dirk the only Mav on the list. Kobe has 19 of them.
In related news the knicks also enjoy sucking,
Knicks “ Basically we way over played our cards and now with egg on our face we are going all 5th grade kid by saying we are happy with the deal”.
That’s beyond insulting, to compare them to 5th grade kids. Show some decency and respect to the children who deserve a lot better than to be compared to Knicks’ management. Neither are fully mature, but the kids deserve a lot of credit for how far they have come and how far they will go.
If Dolan sold the team to a class of fifth graders today, at least they might look like a real franchise in 15-20 years when those kids grow up.
Think the Knicks made the right decision at the time. Kristaps kinda slows said he didn’t want to be there anymore and they ended up getting back a good young point is DSJ, two first round picks, two expiring contracts for two not so good contracts which gave them two max slots. Obviously they didn’t get anyone on those two max deals they would’ve liked but they still got rid of a player who was unhappy and got some good assets and had an opportunity for a star. Even now they still have a good young core with DSJ Barrett Knox Randle and Robinson. Plus Trier, Ntilikina and Portis. I think as the season goes on try look for trades to get cheap good young players but it’s more about collecting assets and waiting. After December 15th they could make plays at A. Wiggins, J. Winslow, J. Brown, Josh Jackson, K. Oubre and S. Adams to see how available each player is.
Then wait to the draft and hope you get lucky, I think they should look to draft either a Centre or Small forward. I would look to play DSJ and Barrett at the guard spots and look for a partner for Randle at SF or Centre. James Wiseman and Vernon Carey are both good centres, Precious Achiuwa and Jordán Nwora look like good SF’s. I see Knox and Robinson as really good bench players if you can get either of these 4
Got a feeling Josh Jackson will be very available, Wiggins too (unless he decides he FINALLY wants to raise his game to next level), and Steven Adams as well if the Thunder decide to go rebuilding mode.
The Knicks don´t look so bad talent wise, the problem is, too many expiring contracts, many of these players will want to showcase themselves for next contract, and that´s when egos and selfishness may blow it all up.
Yeah I’m not sure about Wiggins fit, but no doubt he’s got potential. Josh Jackson would be interesting, he is a 3 and D player who has had good moments in his career but often only for a month a year. He’s also had off court issues, but I like his fit with Barrett and Randle, and he could be picked up for a straight swap with Ntilikina. Big Steve would be a good pick up. He’s got a good reputation around the league as a solid rebounder, hard worker and a great team mate which could help bring in better players. He would be great setting screens for DSJ and Barrett and him and Randle would be a problem for some teams. It would be interesting to see if the Thunder shoo him and what his pice would be. He’s obviously still young enough to rebuild with but has some value as player to win now with. Think Steve’s best move would be to Atlanta with T Ferguson for C Parsons and K Hueter. Thunder get an expiring deal and Hueter to partner SGA in the back court. Atlanta gets a solid centre and T Ferguson as a back up SG who can play D.
Think Kelly Oubre could be an awesome pick up, swap Portis and Ntilikina for Oubre. Oubre showed last year he can score about 18 points and play good D for the 3 position. Plus the Suns have Bridges and Johnson who will be taking minutes at the 3. Portis would fit well next to Ayton as a 4 that can stretch the floor and play some D. Ntilikina also comes in the deal as a back up for Rubio who plays solid D and you could try to develop.
Josh Jackson, for example, was more than available this summer, and with nice draft compensation for the team that was willing to take him. Knicks singing players to one year deals is one of more head scratching things this off season. Once they missed out on star players, renting that massive cap space they created for future assets was the only right course for them, something a competent front office would do.
Yeah like AD will leave 40 million on the table to go play for James Dolan
Let’s see what Coach Fiz do with these your stars
In fairness, the Knicks have so many other regrets that this one just pales in comparison.
I don’t think they were to concerned with Trey Burke’s contract lol.
Liar liar liar hoops an fire, witches please. The worse kind of liars are those that convince themselves of their own lies…. The Knicks need to step up or trade they damn selves each and every last one of them Players excluded, Phil, was supposed to be the great return right? Now these new 0.1 replacements. The attitude needs to change as well as the culture they create. All the Knicks is for now is a member of the thirty team danesty nothing more nothing less…
The zen master was right in putting him on the market after he skipped his exit meeting. The Zen Master is always right
When was the last time you read where a team DID regret trading a player?
The Sun’s former GM wanted a Mulligan for trading IT. That’s the only one from the past few years that I can think of.
As with most trades, won’t find out until the picks are used and you see what happens with KP’s health. If KP isn’t healthy they dodged a bullet. If the picks are busts, they still didn’t pay KP max. If KP is a stud, they regret it. If 1 of the picks is above average they are happy. If 2 of the picks are above average they are happy as heck. If they turn those picks into an AS via trade, they are happy as a pig in mud.
Knicks win most of these scenarios.
They took less than they could have gotten for KP because they wanted to dump so much salary. Then they didn’t make good use of the space they freed. They could have traded KP without the onerous contracts and gotten so much more.
They only got two picks and only one unprotected, right when the Mavs should be peaking.
Only way the Knicks win is if they get a superstar to replace the superstar they gave up. You make it sound so easy but it’s not.
Superstar they gave up? Is that what we’re doing now?
Next someone is gonna call the dude a HOFer, and these are likely the people outside of the NYC market who didn’t see the postgame locker room interview when he said “it’s like, like, like, so tough to play those minutes. I get so tired. It’s hard”
But that’s a superstar? I know there’s an appetite around the ‘net for Knicks hate — but superstar is straight delusion.
Thou protest too much and too loudly. What the Stooges regret isn’t important. Just like whether KP (as a RFA) wanted to be with the Knicks wasn’t important. Their ever changing, and nonsensical, narratives on KP, the trade, their FA effort, etc. are the least important of all.
The bottom line is they traded a 23 year old AS for a few secondary assets, without gauging the market in any comprehensive sense. Nothing said or felt changes this, nor will it change how the trade is judged.
“………if things don’t work out with the Lakers……..” YEAH RIGHT. As if that’s gonna happen.