Kristaps Porzingis Trade: NBA Players Ridicule Knicks, GM Explains Decision

The New York Knicks shocked the NBA on Thursday when they sanctioned a trade involving their best player Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks. It was completely unexpected as they were expected to retain him in order to attract another top free agent in the summer to build a winning team.

The Knicks dealt Porzingis along with guards Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke and Courtney Lee and got in return from the Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr., center DeAndre Jordan, forward Wesley Matthews and two future first round draft picks.

On the face of it, it certainly looks like the Mavs got the better end of the deal as they acquired a second star to play alongside Luka Doncic, who has been impressive in his first campaign in the NBA this season. It will be a pairing that is likely to form the core of the team for the foreseeable future. The Dallas franchise have also, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, created a $12.9 million trade exception with New York and can use within the next year for another trade deal.

However, for the Knicks it opens up cap space to allow them to target two major free agent signings in the summer. And with the likes of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard entering free agency in 2019 it remains to be seen if the front office can attract one or two of them to come play at Madison Square Garden next season.

The NBA, meanwhile, was shocked at learning about the trade and a number of players ridiculed the franchise for allowing their best player to leave. Porzingis is injured at the moment, but is still an All-Star and at 23-year-old is certainly one to watch for the future.

However, Knicks general manager Scott Perry and president Steve Mills were happy with the deal and believe they did the right thing after the player informed them that he did not want to be part of the organization.

"I'm very pleased with what we are getting back in this deal," Perry said talking about the players and financial flexibility the deal offer, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “We are extremely confident in the direction we are headed.”

"We feel like we did the right thing,” Mills added. “When you are thinking in the long-term, you don't want to commit a max contract to a player that doesn't want to be here."

"I'm relieved that we know. We want to know if you're in with us, or not in with us. When he says he doesn't want to be part of this, then we know," he added.