NBA rumors: Porzingis wasn't psyched about possibly playing with Kevin Durant

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nba-rumors-porzingis-wasnt-psyched-225207070.html



NBA rumors: Porzingis wasn't psyched about possibly playing with Kevin Durant



Drew Shiller, NBC Sports BayArea
19 hours ago




On Jan. 31, the Knicks agreed to trade Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks.

The move shocked most of the basketball world, because the 23-year old was the face of the franchise.

His time in New York, however, was filled with turmoil and he wasn't shy about voicing his displeasure with the state of the most valuable team in the league.

Hours before he was shipped to Dallas, Porzingis told Knicks management that he "no longer wanted to be a part of our group," team president Steve Mills told reporters shortly after the trade.

Was there anything in particular that cemented the Latvian's feelings about his future (or lack thereof) in the Big Apple?

Well, there is a new piece of information that just might be very interesting to Warriors fans. On the most recent episode of The Lowe Post Podcast, Lowe said the following to ESPN Knicks reporter, Ian Begley.

"There is the possibility that they (the Knicks) got the sense that he wasn't psyched of how aggressively they were going to court bigger names than him. That's possible.

"I'm confident after talking to a lot of people -- I don't think he was psyched about playing with Durant. I don't know how directly that was verbalized to the Knicks. I'm confident that it wasn't something that was like his Plan A he was super thrilled about it.

"He wanted to be the face of the franchise. I think that's known, that's fair. Kevin Durant will be the face of the franchise if he comes. That's it. That's decided.

"There are other guys who for various reasons I don't think would be the face of the franchise. Kemba Walker would not be. You could argue Kyrie Irving would not be if he were here with Porzingis. It would be close."

First and foremost, it needs to be made clear to everybody that Lowe is not specifically reporting that sources told him Porzingis flat out didn't want to play with KD. So don't get that twisted.

However, Lowe is as connected as it gets and he wouldn't just say something like this unless there was some degree of truth. His assertion is obviously newsworthy because of the connections between the reigning two-time Finals MVP and the Knicks.

And let's be real, if the Knicks were somehow made aware of Porzingis' feelings about Durant -- and if they are confident in their chances of luring Durant away from the Warriors -- it would make perfect sense to part ways with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft in order to free up the necessary cap space to potentially sign Durant and another max-level free agent in July.



bob
MY NOTE:  It's one thing when being the face of a franchise is thrust upon you whether you want it or are ready for it, like it was with LeBron in Cleveland and then Kyrie after LeBron left and, I suppose, Porzingis in NY but if you WANT to be the face of a franchise your franchise better f'ing win.  Porzingis' Knicks never won.  In fact, I don't even think they made the playoffs while he was with them even though more than 50% of the league makes the playoffs and the EC is the weaker conference.  The mere idea that a franchise player whose franchise never made the playoffs while he was there would be opposed to bringing in a proven superstar because the superstar might replace them as the poster boy is a mindboggling proposition.  And I have more bad news for Porzingis:  Luka Doncic is going to be the poster boy in Dallas and not him.  Maybe he should request a trade to Atlanta, or sign with them as a free agent.  They've got nobody left to compete with him besides Trae Young and he's not a franchise player.  That way he wouldn't be expected to earn his status through his elite play vs through his potential for elite play.


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Yes Bob, truly mind boggling.