Kristaps Porzingis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

MRI Reveals Kristaps Porzingis Has Torn ACL

February 6th, 2018 at 9:59pm CST by Austin Kent

9:59pm: Results of an MRI have confirmed that Porzingis has torn his ACL, the team’s PR department tweets. He could be out for as long as 12 months, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News tweets.

7:56pm: Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis is scheduled to have an MRI on his left knee, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN writes. The 22-year-old needed to be helped off the court after a dunk in the first half of New York’s Tuesday night contest.

Porzingis remained on the court for a minute after his knee initially buckled but, as Frank Isola of The New York Daily News writes, he was able to put weight on it as he headed toward his MRI.

In his third year, Porzingis has upped his scoring averaged to 22.9 points per game, earning his first career All-Star Game nod in the process.

Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Porzingis, Powell

January 31st, 2018 at 10:49pm CST by clarkcrum

The issue with the shooting shoulder of Sixers rookie Markelle Fultz has taken an interesting turn, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Fultz, who has missed all but four games this season, was apparently upset with his head coach Brett Brown after it was reported that Brown classified Fultz’s injury as “psychosomatic”.

Fultz took to social media to air his frustrations, while Brown insisted that he was misquoted, that he has never wavered from the narrative that Fultz’s shot is being affected by a shoulder injury, and that Fultz’s shoulder still hurts sometimes when he rises to shoot a jump shot.

Brown understands Fultz’s frustration, but believes Fultz will ultimately accept the misunderstanding. “Last night’s erroneous reporting was disappointing,” Brown said, “(but Markelle) knows the organization. He knows me. It doesn’t require much more to be said than that.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Kristaps Porzingis is planning to use his first All-Star game appearance as a recruiting opportunity, reports Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. One of his first targets? Team LeBron teammate Kyrie Irving, who is from the New York area and listed the Knicks as a preferred destination before being traded to Boston.
After not playing in three of the team’s previous four games and having being relegated to mop-up duty lately, Raptors guard Norman Powell played well in a come-from-behind win against Minnesota last night, and his teammates weren’t surprised one bit, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, who reports that Powell is still a popular locker room figure.
The Nets have benched veteran center Tyler Zeller in favor of youngsters Jahlil Okafor and Jarrett Allen, reports Brian Lewis of the New York Post. While head coach Kenny Atkinson wouldn’t confirm the move as permanent, Allen started in Zeller’s place in last night’s loss to the Knicks after Zeller had started 33 of the last 34 games.

Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Bradley, Jack

January 30th, 2018 at 4:58pm CST by Austin Kent

The Knicks have fallen out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture thanks to a recent slide but star forward Kristaps Porzingis would still prefer the team to make a push to sneak back in, Ian Begley of ESPN writes.

Porzingis, averaging 23.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in his third season, says that he’s eager to gain playoff experience but concedes that the team’s decision is out of his control.

“I don’t think it’s healthy for any player to have [tanking] in their minds,” Porzingis said. “Whatever happens, you give your all on the court and if it doesn’t work out and you can’t win games then something else good might happen and you have that. But as a player your mindset has to be going out and giving 110 percent and live with the results.”

There’s more out of the Big Apple today:

It appears as though the Knicks contacted the Pistons about Avery Bradley prior to his being sent to the Clippers, Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press writes.
There’s a case to be made for the Knicks offering Jarrett Jack to a contender at the deadline but the veteran point guard would rather remain with New York, a team he thinks can possibly claw back into the postseason picture, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes.
The Knicks are looking for a way to clear their books of Joakim Noah‘s contract, especially after a heated exchange between the player and head coach Jeff Hornacek. Ian Begley and Bobby Marks of ESPN recently wrote about the options that New York actually has available to them.

Latest On Joakim Noah

January 29th, 2018 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

After a Friday report indicated that the Knicks were increasing their efforts to trade Joakim Noah, more details on the rift between Noah and the Knicks – as well as his absence from the team – surfaced today, with Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reporting that the front office is “exploring avenues” to part with the veteran center.

According to various reports, including one from Marc Stein of The New York Times, Noah expressed displeasure with his playing time and his role when he was removed from last Tuesday’s game against the Warriors, then had another heated exchange with head coach Jeff Hornacek during Wednesday’s practice in Denver. At that point, the Knicks granted Noah time away from the team for what was essentially meant to be a “cooling-off period,” writes Stein.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN, Noah is currently working out and is awaiting word from the Knicks on the next steps for rejoining the team. Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News suggests that Noah is waiting to hear if he should report back to the club at all, though there’s an expectation he’ll return — his contract will be very difficult to trade, and there’s little upside to waiving him at this point.

Here’s more on Noah:

There have been no discussions between Noah and the Knicks so far about a buyout, according to Begley, who hears from sources that the 32-year-old isn’t inclined to give up significant money to accommodate a buyout.
A source tells Bondy that the Cavaliers entertained the possibility of taking on Noah during the 2017 offseason as part of a Kyrie Irving trade. The kicker? Kristaps Porzingis would have needed to be included. The Knicks weren’t interested at the time, according to Bondy, and there’s no indication that the club would have any interest now in moving Noah by attaching him to Porzingis or another prime asset.
Noah’s frustration with his role (or lack thereof) isn’t new. According to Steve Aschburner of NBA.com (Twitter link), Noah told a confidante over a month ago that his playing time situation was stressful.
There’s a belief that there would still be a market for Noah if he’s eventually waived or bought out, writes Charania. I imagine the big man would have to settle for a minimum salary contract in that scenario.

Knicks Notes: Kanter, Hornacek, Porzingis, Trade Deadline Plans

January 20th, 2018 at 9:20am CST by marksuleymanov

Enes Kanter has been a bright spot for the Knicks this season, but his ongoing dispute with the Turkish government has generated more headlines than anything he has done on the court. While his future — both with the Knicks and his native country — is unclear, Kanter knows he wants to retire in New York.

In an in-depth interview with ESPN’s Ian Begley, Kanter addressed his perception of the Knicks before he joined the team as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade last September and his current view of the organization.

“I remember during the draft I went to see a lot of organizations. But after you play in New York, you don’t really want to go anywhere else,” Kanter said. “The people around are so cool. I remember maybe it was my second month here. I was thinking, ‘This place is so cool, I want to retire here.’ I remember one of the media guys was asking me, ‘Is it too early to decide because you’ve been here for not even a half season? Why did you want to decide that you wanted to retire as a Knick?’ I was like, ‘This is the place I want to be.’ You play at Madison Square Garden, you see all the famous people. I’m really cool with Ben Stiller.”

Kanter, 25, has averaged 13.5 PPG and 9.9 RPG through 43 games this season while holding down the center position. In addition to his Knicks future, Kanter also discussed his view of Turkey, his current relationship with his family, and his spat with LeBron James.

Check out other Knicks news below:

There have been some rumblings of head coach Jeff Hornacek‘s future with the team given the team’s recent rough patch, which was addressed by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Amid the chatter, however, Hornacek responded by stating that he has the support of the organization and moving forward with the plan of developing young talent, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Kristaps Porzingis was voted an All-Star starter by his fellow players, but lost the overall vote to Sixers big man Joel Embiid. Per ESPN, the Latvian sharpshooter addressed the news with confidence. “Players know,” Porzingis said. “That’s all I’m going to say.“
The Knicks’ issues with their point guards, defensive capabilities, and ability to win were evident in a recent loss to the Grizzlies. Marc Berman of the New York Post examined how the recent losses — the rough patch that has left the team at 21-25 — could lead to a fire sale ahead of the February 8 trade deadline.

Atlantic Notes: Dinwiddie, Porizingis, Powell

January 5th, 2018 at 9:58pm CST by Austin Kent

It’s been a long road for Spencer Dinwiddie. Now the journeyman guard finds him a critical piece of the Nets after bouncing around the NBA and G League. Brian Lewis of the New York Post wrote about the 24-year-old’s rise to prominence.

“His attention to detail, his approach to the game has really got him where he is, and it’s helped his confidence a lot,” Nets teammate Quincy Acy, no stranger to the journeyman lifestyle said. “He’s playing well. He deserves everything he’s getting right now. He worked for it. I love to see guys like that succeed, guys that really worked for it off the court. It’s really showing.”

Dinwiddie is averaging 12.8 points and 6.8 assists per game for the Nets and has established himself as a reliable option in the clutch.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Is it time to start believing in the Celtics? That’s the question that Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports asks, suggesting that the team has made a case for itself as a legitimate contender for the East crown as soon as this season.
While there are plenty of NBA personalities who believe in Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis‘s potential to be a franchise player, a pair of European scouts aren’t so sure. Marc Berman of the New York Post features the somewhat bearish outlook on the 22-year-old unicorn in his latest.
Raptors swingman Norman Powell has seen his role decrease of late thanks to the solid play of other young players in the lineup. “He’s always been up and down, in and out of the lineup,” teammate Kyle Lowry told Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. “I think he consistently stays ready as a professional athlete and does his job. It’s just a tough spot for him to be in right now.“

Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Porzingis, Okafor

January 4th, 2018 at 3:38pm CST by Austin Kent

The Sixers have yet to narrow down a return timeline for rookie Markelle Fultz but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have big plans for him in the future, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

“The design of our team was […] with him in mind and Ben Simmons in mind,” Sixers head coach Brett Brown said, “And then you have a bunch of Danny Greens. You do, you have a bunch of receivers.”

Limited to just four games prior to a mysterious shoulder injury, Fultz didn’t have much time to make a positive impression. While his 6.0 points per game leave much to be desired, Pompey reiterates that the guard was drafted to be a complete offensive weapon for the Sixers.

“I feel like, when you see in doses [Fultz] play, you are reminded of what he was brought in to do,” Brown said. Fultz recently started scrimmaging with the Sixers.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks are embroiled in a tough stretch and much of that may have to do with star forward Kristaps Porzingis wearing down. “I’m tired. I’m so tired right now,” Porzingis told Ian Begley of ESPN after the second game of a back-to-back. “I have one day now to rest my legs and then get back and play better and have more energy and also try and bring the team’s energy up.“
He may not have broken any records in his Barclays Debut but Jahlil Okafor filled a role admirably for the Nets on Wednesday. “He was solid, understood what we do, what we’re doing,” head coach Kenny Atkinson told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “It’s just going to take him time. He really understood our system, and was in the right place.“
Notice something different about Knicks sophomore Ron Baker last night? The guard took the floor with a protective mask, as Al Iannazzone of Newsday wrote prior to the contest. The point guard admirably, but unsuccessfully, set out to contest an Anthony Davis dunk on Saturday night and paid the price.

New York Notes: Porzingis, Lin, LeVert, Back-To-Backs

January 1st, 2018 at 3:40pm CST by marksuleymanov

Dirk Nowitzki is widely regarded as one of the top international players in NBA history but the German legend feels Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis will surpass him one day, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.

“He’s way ahead of the curve,” Nowitzki tells Berman. “My first year I was struggling straight out of Germany and he had that great rookie year. If he stays injury-free, working like that — and I know he will — the sky’s going to be the limit.’’

In his third season, Porzingis is averaging a career-best 24.5 PPG with 6.7 RPG in 30 games. Recent shooting issues aside, Porzingis has made tremendous progress not just this season, but over the last three years. Nowitzki referred to Porzingis as a “walking mismatch” for opposing teams. Porzingis’ combination of size, shooting, and defense is why Nowitzki feels he can one day become one of the all-time greats.

Check out other news and notes out of New York:

In an update on Jeremy Lin, who suffered a season-ending ruptured patella tendon in the right knee on opening night, he is recently started cycling, Bryan Fonseca of NetsDaily relays. Lin, 29, has been stationed in Vancouver to do his rehab with periodic visits to Brooklyn. He has until June 29 to decide whether he will exercise his option for a third season in Brooklyn but after a season-ending surgery, it’s hard to envision Lin forfeting guaranteed money.
If it were solely based on talent, Caris LeVert would likely be a starter for the Nets. While he is currently coming off the bench, LeVert has made himself the leader of Brooklyn’s second unit, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. “He’s making it his group,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “You do need someone to lead a unit, and they’ve got nice chemistry going.”
The Nets have struggled when playing back-to-back games this season and it’s something the team needs to fix, Lewis writes in a separate story.

Knicks Notes: Ntilikina, Porzingis, Noah, Hardaway

December 31st, 2017 at 1:45pm CST by marksuleymanov

On the heels of two strong performances, Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek wants to find more minutes for rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina, Newsday’s Al Iannazzone writes. Veteran Jarrett Jack remains the starter with Ntilikina taking over late in games but the team does not want to push him too hard early in his career.

“We’re trying to get him some more minutes,” Hornacek said. “It makes it difficult late in games if he’s going well, he ends up playing a lot of minutes. Maybe we need to give him a break here and there.”

Ntilikina, 19, has averaged 6.0 PPG and 3.5 APG for the Knicks in 33 games while flashing his defensive capabilities. The Knicks took a risk drafting Ntilikina out of France with the eighth overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. The organization envisions him as the eventual full-time point guard. For now, the team will be cautious with his workload. “Not yet,” Hornacek said about giving Ntilikina more minutes. “That’s something we’ll continue to look at it, but for now, no.”

Check out other Knicks news below:

Kristaps Porzingis‘ frustration with his recent shooting struggles has spilled over into the referees’ officiating, Marc Berman of the New York Post relays. Porzingis voiced his concern with a lack of called fouls on his shots and described his trick to avoid receiving technical fouls. “When something like that happens, I look at the ref,’’ Porzingis said. “If I say something I try to delete it and sprint back. When I’m sprinting back, I’m already not thinking about it. That’s how I cut it off at that moment.’’ Porzingis is still averaging a career-best 24.5 PPG but his field goal percentage has dipped to .446%.
Joakim Noah received some rare playing time in the Knicks’ win over the Pelicans on Saturday and was appreciative of the minutes, Berman writes in a separate story. While Noah logged just four points and rebounds in 12 minutes, it was a good way to end a road trip that started with a DNP against his former team, the Bulls, in Chicago.
It’s no coincidence that a lot of the Knicks’ struggles with winning and scoring started once Tim Hardaway Jr. went down with a phantom stress injury in his left leg, several teammates told Berman of the New York Post. Hardaway was a steady presence, averaging a career-best 17.8 PPG in 21 games. The team continues to hope their starting guard is back sometime in January.

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Ujiri, Porzingis

December 21st, 2017 at 6:50pm CST by Austin Kent

There’s no denying that the Nets were in a pickle when Sean Marks took over from Billy King as general manager of the franchise. In the time since, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes, the former Spurs‘ staffer has changed the culture of the franchise by consistently and patiently strategizing ways to improve.

Another transformative figure within the Nets organization is head coach Kenny Atkinson. O’Connor details Atkinson’s hands-on approach and willingness to get in the foxhole with his players.

The results speak for themselves. While the Nets don’t exactly strike fear in their opponents yet, they’ve managed to amass a solid cache of promising young players despite the previous regime having unloaded a bounty of picks in one of the worst trades in sports history.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Ex-Celtics big man and current Heat forward Jordan Mickey gives his former boss the benefit of the doubt regarding his release from the team. Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe tweets that Mickey was surprised about being waived in the summer but that he trusts that Danny Ainge knows what he’s doing.
Give Masai Ujiri more credit for his work with the Raptors, Tom Ziller of SB Nation writes. The Raps’ president of basketball operations has turned a fledgling squad into a consistent playoff team and now a potential contender, all without bottoming out.
Desperate to build enough strength to avoid injuries, Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis has been working with famous personal trainer Carlon Colker, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. The doctor and former MMA fighter has worked previously with Shaquille O’Neal and, uh, Justin Bieber.