NBA News: New Dallas Maverick Kristaps Porzingis Excited To Play With Luka Doncic

The New York Knicks shocked the basketball world last week by trading young star Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks. Mavericks fans may have to wait until next year to see the trade amount to anything on the court, but based on the newest Maverick’s comments on Monday, there is reason for excitement.

In his introductory press conference, the 23-year-old center said he had instant chemistry with presumptive Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic.

Porzingis will not suit up for the Mavericks this year. He has not played in an NBA game since last February, as he tore his ACL and the Knicks had little incentive to rush him back to the court.

The story is similar for the Mavericks. While they have already matched their win total from the 2017-18 season, they are on the outside looking in with regards to the Western Conference playoff standings. At 24-28, the goal now might be to let Doncic develop as much as possible and let Porzingis get healthy before gearing up for a postseason run next year.

If Porzingis can heal and return to form, he and Doncic could potentially form a potent and long-lasting duo in Dallas. Porzingis was impressive in 48 games before his injury last year, averaging 22.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while hitting nearly 40 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

Doncic, meanwhile, has been a rookie sensation for the Mavericks. The 19-year-old is averaging 20.7 points, 7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from three.