NBA Trade Rumors: Phil Jackson Considering Giving Away Kristaps Porzingis?
New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is rumored to be actively looking to trade their big man Kristaps Porzingis.
Recently, there have been reports that Jackson is looking at the chances of trading out Porzingis. According to The Vertical, it has league sources claiming that Jackson's openness to the idea caused several teams to manifest their interest in acquiring the Latvian basketball player.
ESPN's sources also reportedly confirmed that the New York front office has received several phone calls for a possible Porzingis trade. The same report mentioned that trading out Porzingis has been a possibility presented at the table months before the NBA Draft 2017 happened last Thursday night.
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Several teams with high draft picks at the first round made the call to the Knicks. These teams were believed to be willing to give away their picks in exchange for Porzingis. But as the NBA Draft 2017 results show, it looks like none of those offers pushed through.
The Vertical's report also mentioned that Jackson, in fact, met with the 7-footer Lauri Markkanen who the team executive eyed as a possible replacement for Porzingis. However, Markkanen was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 7 and was later on traded (with Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn) to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Jimmy Butler and Chicago's No. 16 pick, Justin Patton.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks executives are reportedly divided on the idea of losing Porzingis. There have also been reports that the Knicks are posting a "massive" asking price along with some other demands in exchange for Porzingis.
Adding fire to the rumors is Porzingis' widely-reported absence at the Knicks' exit meeting following the conclusion of NBA Season 2016-17. Reports say that since then, the Knicks management has not been in touch with the 7-foot-3 player who is currently taking some time off in Europe.
Former Knicks player and NBA All-Star Charles Oakley commented on Porzingis' not attending the said exit meeting and said (via New York Daily News): "He's wrong for that. You can't do that. Not being two years in the league and you've been on the team two years and you won 32 games and 31 games. I mean, you don't do that. Especially when you're in town (at the same time the meeting was supposed to take place). You don't do that. That's wrong."
Porzingis and the Knicks are yet to provide official information on the rumored trade talks.
