Kristaps Porzingis, who made a statement about the Knicks organization by skipping his exit interview Friday, plans to spend most of the summer in his native Latvia, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Porzingis’ move was seen as a protest against the “unprofessionalism and routine chaos” that he has encountered during his two seasons with the team, Wojnarowski writes, noting that he may not return to the United States until just before the start of camp.
His stance appears to represent the prevalent feeling in the locker room. Many players are saying privately that they don’t want to be involved in summer tutoring sessions in the triangle offense that are planned at the Knicks’ practice facility. Wojnarowski describes the atmosphere as an “open rebellion” against team president Phil Jackson’s philosophy.
It also appears that Jackson’s statements on Friday urging Carmelo Anthony to accept a trade this summer have backfired. Wojnarowski writes that the Knicks plan to reopen trade talks before the draft in June, but Anthony has become more determined to spend two more years in New York and try to outlast Jackson. With the Knicks picking up Jackson’s option this week, both he and Anthony have two seasons left on their current contracts.
Jackson’s press conference was the latest addition to the chaos that has left Porzingis disillusioned. He developed a good working relationship with coach Derek Fisher as a rookie, Wojnarowski writes, but Fisher was fired midway through last season, partly because of a dispute with Jackson over the triangle and the best way to use Porzingis in the offense.
Jackson appointed Kurt Rambis as interim head coach and wanted to give him the job permanently, but opposition inside and outside the organization forced him to hire someone else. He chose Jeff Hornacek, who had recently been fired by the Suns and had little leverage to oppose the triangle or force out Rambis, who remains as an assistant.
Anthony has to decide if he wants to chase a ring or play chicken with Jackson. Either way is fine with me, they’d both be entertaining. I’d like for Melo to get a ring, but if he wants to out-stubborn Jackson, that’s fine, because I hate Phil.
Carmelo clearly values living in NY over everything else. He’s a very selfish dude, as demonstrated by signing a new contract to stay there despite the poor roster and dysfunction. Phil should have seen this coming, as most people in the know about the NBA agree the Knicks should not have re-signed Melo to begin with.
Cut him eat his contract or buy him out and just release him he ain’t gonna take a trade unless you trade him to the Nets and I don’t see that happening no other team wants him If i was a GM I’d make a deal for Porzingis I’d love the Hawks make a deal for him but I don’t see that happening
He’s selfish because he accepted a great contract that was offered to him? That doesn’t make any sense at all.
Haha….think about what you just said.
“He’s a very selfish dude, as demonstrated by signing a new contract to stay there despite the poor roster and dysfunction”.
How is Anthony selfish? So if another free agent decides to come to NY this winter, let’s say, Steph Curry (obviously not going to happen), is Curry selfish because he came to NY and got a market value contract?
It’s all Phil’s fault for MAKING the offer and agreeing to give him a no-trade clause.
Mello can’t control the salary cap/trade provisions, he can’t control what teams are willing to trade for him, he can’t control what those potential trade partners offer the Knicks, he can’t control whether or not the Knicks agree to those players being offered. In addition, if the team’s pursuing him aren’t legit contenders even WITH his addition, then why should he leave?
Phil Jackson WAS (and might still be a great coach). However, he is, thus far, a horrible GM and should’ve never been hired as such.
Jackson is a bad GM but Melo is not a winner , nor a leader and doesn’t care about getting a ring. Porzingis is not a star yet, couldn’t stay on the court with his lanky body and wasn’t so professional about how he handles his exit meeting. To summarize the Knicks Dolan =clueless , Phil=dysfunction, Melo=drama
agreed!!
“Melo is not a winner”… Yawn… First of all, it’s a team sport… Do you know why LeBron ran to Miami to join Wade and Bosh? Jordan had Pippen, Shaq had Kobe, Duncan had Parker and Ginobili…
Stat of the day:
Since 2002 the Knicks have won just seven playoff games. The Seattle Supersonics won eight and they moved in 2008.
He may love New York but it’s obvious the organization is dysfunctional. Only thing hey got right was kristaps. New York isn’t winning a title anytime soon , even though you love New York your friends have left their teams to , lebron went to Miami and came back , even d wade left Miami which he never really wanted to, if I was you melo , accept being traded , try snd win a championship , New York will still love ya
Dolan caused all of this….they should have never signed Melo in the 1st place….or signed Phil….he shouldve sought guidance from the Nba and found a real basketball president and rebuilt everything…..but hes a jack a$$…this is what happens when you dont know how to spend daddys money….
Oh but where would the knicks be without Melo?
Where the Nuggets are currently. Which is better.
The Nuggets are better because they got like 20 players back in the Melo trade. If they had all those players AND Melo they’d be the best team in basketball.
As a former Knick season ticket holder who gave up my seats before this season after 24 years and a fan for over 50 years, this is the worst I have felt about the team. I could find hope all those years in spite of the losing. Phil’s behavior this season and Friday’s press conference has been appalling! Phil’s obsession with the triangle is just insane. I grew up with the Knicks and remember when Red was hired and the team that was assembled. The Red Holtzman era Knicks made adjustments and embraced wrinkles to his basic philosophy of hitting the open when his talent changed or brought unique skills to the table. That Phil can’t adjust to the realty that today’s game is different because of the 3point shot and skill level of the players demonstrates an arrogance or stubbornest that is insane. To drive out and defame your best player and then publicly devalue him, the players and the head coach is just ridiculous. Then to hold up Rambis as a Coach because he is his puppet speaks to his limited vision and stubbornness. For the record Fisher and Jeff tried to adjust the offense to today’s game. Rambis’ job was to fix the defense and he Failed. Then to justify the awful trade for Selfish Rose by suggesting he might bring him back is rewarding the player that tried the least to run the freakin triangle. I applaud KP and the players and I hope Melo does give him the finger. Maybe then Dolan will wake up and take some action beyond living up to his freakin contract at a time that fans are disgusted.
Well said
If Melo wants to stay give him the 6 th man job and max him at 28-30 mins/game. He always disappears in the 4rth quarter due to conditioning, cannot jump at all anymore, and plays defense maybe 1/4 the time. In addition, if Phil wants the triangle then he HAS to be full time coach…otherwise it’ll be worse next year than this year..and porzingis will demand a trade. Maybe wait for two years to follow my Knicks again. No Mello and no Jackson = hope.
Honestly if Phil hadn’t completely destroyed his reputation by now I’d still trust him to coach a team, but he has proven he can’t build a team.
Why won’t Jackson and the Knicks grew some balls and cut the ball hog and let him see if anyone signs him in the offseason I know his contract guaranteed so why not just cut him loose and just buy out his contract and eat the two years left.
So the Knicks don’t give up an all-star with a max contract in exchange for nothing in return.
Just like the movie Frozen let it go why not let him go as in buy out the rest of the contract and give him his walking papers. Is he really worth this nonsense? I mean who’s gonna sign him or who’s gonna sign him for what he thinks he is worth.
Never thought I’d wish for a Dolan intervention…but seems appropriate now.
It’s going to be a tough battle for worst team next year between the Kings and Knicks.
And Nets
Nah I think the Nets sign some FA’s and try to field a competitive team next year since they don’t have their pick again. Maybe they hit on a couple and flip them at the deadline for some picks but they should be out of the bottom 3 before the deadline I’d imagine.
Porzingis must feel like a kid who has two best friends that are fighting and doesn’t want to get into it.
Whenever I watch the Knicks in the seeming unending dysfunction, I am reminded that the owner sets the tone for the whole organization. even though Dolan says he stepped back from basketball operations when he hired Jackson, the fact remains that his philosophy/approach to organization building still permeates everything. And on top of that Jackson seems to be getting rather crotchety in his older years.
Joey B you are generous 25% D ha if ever, needs to stop listening to wive move and show whatcha got. Stay and be more miserable. Knicks need a fresh start
Don’t forget the Nets
To say rhat Melo is not a winner is ridiculous. He has contributed to winning teams everywhere he has played on until Phil took over the team. The teams that Phil constructed and the limitations placed on his Coaches other then Rambis have created an impossible and losing environment in today’s NBA.
Popsidoodle say me cannot wait until next season, so me can watch the Knicks young players grow and me can see the team climb back to relevancy. Me dislike Carmelo and his attitude.
Me cannot wait!
Popsidoodle, for the win.
Popsidoodle, OUT!
What in the hell
I can’t stop laughing …
Wow, who would have thought that the current Knicks regime is making the Isiah Thomas regime look “not that bad” in hindsight. That whole franchise is just a train wreck.
Carmelo deserves to be in N.Y any team that would trade for him is foolish.
Melo is selfish? No, he’s not, and it’s because he truly believes he makes a team better.
Melo has Rose and Kp and he couldn’t flirt with the eighth seed
Phil’s focus on the offense is baffling, because the real problem is the defense. That includes Porzingis, who blocks shots but can’t guard stronger centers, is too tall to guard small forwards and most power forwards.
The triangle creates mostly 2 point shots. It’s been proven that collapsing the defense via pick and roll and kicking out for 3 point shots work well in this modern NBA.
Phil seems stubborn, Melo obsessed and incapable of dealing with the real issues.
It would be addition by subtraction. Melo is a positive influence on the outcome of games maybe 1/3 of the time. Hope Miami fills in Bosh’s soon to be vacated cap space with Melos ridiculous contract.
My two cents:
Phil might be doing all of this to somehow light a fire in Melo. He has to know by now that Melo’s chances of being moved are slim.
Now Phil has Melo right where he wants him… with something to prove by the way he put it out there that the team hasn’t won.
I’m old school and I agree… Melo has got to allow coaching. Thats what I hate about this new era and liked about the Riley, Phil Jackson eras.
Look at KP. Skipping exit meetings? Come on man!
What has he done to act like a stud.
But oh wait… he’s following his role model and team leader Melo.
This new era is a joke and with all the money getting thrown at these guys will only get worse.
Players have to respect Management and coaching. If Michael Jordan could respect his coach you mean to tell me these watered down stars can’t?
Otherwise… mark my words the only teams that win will be the Warriors or Spurs every year.
Because in the end… everyone needs to be dialed in and this Lebron model with players running it all will only result in more dysfunction throughout the league.
These guys are a joke… resting when fans pay good money to see them play. The greats of years past never did this. The league is a joke now.
This whole fiasco is not just a Knicks problem but a league problem!!
Haha….think about what you just said.
“He’s a very selfish dude, as demonstrated by signing a new contract to stay there despite the poor roster and dysfunction”.
How is Anthony selfish? So if another free agent decides to come to NY this winter, let’s say, Steph Curry (obviously not going to happen), is Curry selfish because he came to NY and got a market value contract?
It’s all Phil’s fault for MAKING the offer and agreeing to give him a no-trade clause.
Mello can’t control the salary cap/trade provisions, he can’t control what teams are willing to trade for him, he can’t control what those potential trade partners offer the Knicks, he can’t control whether or not the Knicks agree to those players being offered. In addition, if the team’s pursuing him aren’t legit contenders even WITH his addition, then why should he leave?
Phil Jackson WAS (and might still be a great coach). However, he is, thus far, a horrible GM and should’ve never been hired as such.
Trade Anthony and Porzingus for draft picks. Both soft players that lack personal fortitude to win. That’s why they shoot outside!
Lets clear this up in no particular order:
-Phil Jackson and the triangle offense are overrated and need to be out.
-Carmelo is a scorer who is not a team player like LeBron, Durant etc. and he plays no defense. Because of this, I wouldn’t want his overpaid butt on my team.
Lets clear this up in no particular order:
-Phil Jackson and the triangle offense are overrated and need to be out.
-Carmelo is a scorer who is not a team player like LeBron, Durant etc. and he plays no defense. Because of this, I wouldn’t want him on my team unless my missing piece was a scorer and I had a great defensive team.
We all agree that the triangle is overrated. We mostly agree that Melo needs to leave or change his game. Some of us agree that KP will never be the future first team all-star some think he will be and that he has defensive liabilities.
The problem is KP ain’t going, Melo ain’t going and no major market team will take him and Jackson is not backing down from making the Knicks take their Triangle medicine.
So it looks like we’re f**ked until Jackson is out.