Kristaps Porzingis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Lowry, Saric, Sixers

May 7th, 2017 at 10:03am CST by Arthur Hill

A spokesman for Kristaps Porzingis is blaming hackers for the mysterious tweet that appeared Saturday on his account, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The message read “LA Clippers” with three smiley faces, prompting speculation that Porzingis has a desire to be traded to Los Angeles. It was deleted a few seconds later. His representative says Porzingis was asleep when the tweet was posted and he believes the account was hacked.

There’s more this morning from the Atlantic Division:

This summer could bring major changes to the Raptors, including the departure of Kyle Lowry and coach Dwane Casey, writes Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun. The Raptors trail the Cavaliers 3-0 heading into today’s Game 4, and there is speculation that a second-round exit won’t be enough to keep the team together. Lowry is expected to opt out of his $12MM deal and become a free agent after an injury-filled season. He described himself as “probably doubtful” for today’s game with a sprained left ankle, the latest in a list of ailments that also included back problems and wrist surgery. Lowry has three straight All-Star appearances, but he turned 31 in March and the Raptors will have to decide if he’s worth a long-term investment. Casey has a .548 winning percentage in his six years in Toronto, but team president Masai Ujiri may decide the team needs a different presence on its bench.
Rookie of the Year candidate Dario Saric remembers the anxiety he felt on the plane trip from Croatia to Philadelphia, relays Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. “I was nervous,” he said. “I feel like I am coming in NBA, this is it now. I cannot go back anymore.” The Sixers waited two years for Saric to join the team after acquiring his rights in a 2014 trade with Orlando. He didn’t disappoint, averaging 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 81 games.
The Sixers need more than just another successful draft to become contenders, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey examines the way other teams have been constructed and notes that there is usually a mixture of draft picks, trades and free agency signings. Philadelphia enters the May 16th lottery with the fourth-worst record and about a one in three chance of landing a top three pick. The Sixers will also receive the Lakers’ selection if it falls out of the top three.

Porzingis Has Message For Clippers In Tweet

May 6th, 2017 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis sent out an unexplained tweet today that he quickly deleted, according to Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post.

The social media message read simply, “LA Clippers” and was accompanied by three smiling faces.

The Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs last week and are believed to have interest in Porzingis’ teammate, Carmelo Anthony, whom the Knicks would like to trade this summer.

There has been no publicly stated connection between Porzingis and the Clippers, although there was a report that several teams contacted New York’s front office about his availability last month after he skipped an exit meeting as a form of protest. He left for Latvia and announced his intention to play for the national team without consulting anyone from the Knicks.

Still, there’s little reason to believe that Porzingis is being shopped around, especially if New York gets rid of Anthony. The 7’3″ forward/center is still seen as part of the Knicks’ foundation and is under team control on his rookie contract for two more seasons.

Inquiries For Porzingis After Skipped Exit Meeting

May 5th, 2017 at 8:13pm CST by Austin Kent

Multiple teams reached out to the Knicks about possible Kristaps Porzingis trades after it was reported that the Latvian big man skipped his exit meeting with the franchise, Ian Begley of ESPN reports. The 21-year-old has been displeased with New York’s inability to field a winner during his first two years in the league.

Though there’s no indication that any specific deals surfaced as a result of the conversations, the fact that teams could be attempting to establish parameters with the Knicks is a sign of the sophomore’s value around the league and how serious his expression of frustration was interpreted to be.

Through two years with the underachieving club, Porzingis has shown a unique combination of skill and length. This year, the sharp-shooting 7’3″ forward improved upon an impressive rookie season with averages of 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. In Year 3, Porzingis is slotted to make $4.5MM before a fourth and final year with a team option worth $5.7MM.

Begley reports that Porzingis hasn’t been in touch with the franchise since his decision to forego the meeting, quickly leaving for Latvia with plans to play for their national team in the European Championship over the summer.

Per Begley, Porzingis has said on multiple occasions that he would prefer to remain in New York, but sources say that the forward has grown frustrated with the drama and dysfunction surrounding the team.

Knicks Notes: Noah, Porzingis, Kobe, Livingston

April 27th, 2017 at 11:55am CST by ChrisCrouse

Joakim Noah, who signed a four-year, $72MM deal last offseason, underwent rotator cuff surgery on Wednesday, Al Iannazzone of Newsday relays. Noah was suspended by the league for taking a banned substance at the end of this season. He was able to serve eight of his 20 games since he was deemed healthy enough to play toward the end of the 2016/17 campaign. He’ll serve the remaining 12 games of the suspension once he’s recovered from his left shoulder surgery and ruled healthy enough to play. The Knicks didn’t give a timetable for his return, but coach Jeff Hornacek previously said the rehab process should take approximately five months.

Team president Phil Jackson remains hopeful that Noah can return from his injury and live up to his current contract. “We talked a lot about, ‘Can you get yourself back into this condition? Hamstrings, hamstrings, hamstrings,” Jackson said earlier this month. “‘Eventually it ended up being the knee that was creating ultimately other problems. So we hope going forward – he expresses great dedication in getting back to what he was and who he is as a basketball player. So I have to trust him in that.”

Here’s more from the city that never sleeps:

Kristaps Porzingis may be frustrated with the Knicks‘ organization, but that doesn’t extend to assistant coach Joshua Longstaff, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Longstaff will join Porzingis in Latvia this summer and Bondy hears that the big man wants Longstaff to be an assistant coach for the Latvian National Team. New York previously offered to approve Porzingis’ participation in the European Championships if the Latvian team allowed the assistant to be on its staff.
Can Jackson and Carmelo Anthony coexist in New York after a season of turmoil? Kobe Bryant believes there’s a chance the two parties can, as Marc Berman of the New York Post relays. “Michael [Jordan] had his rough times with him as well. The history is you get through rough times after you win a good amount of championships. We certainly had our rocky times, but we still stuck to it, we figured out our way through it and came out better because of it. I think the most important thing is sticking to it, being patient. Sometimes things work out. Sometimes they don’t,” Bryant said.
Shaun Livingston, who will be a free agent this offseason, is a longtime favorite of Phil Jackson and could be a reasonable target for the Knicks to go after this summer, Keith P. Smith of RealGM writes. Smith argues that Livingston would be a good fit in the triangle offense.

Knicks Sending Assistant To Latvian National Team

April 26th, 2017 at 5:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks have worked out a compromise with Kristaps Porzingis regarding his desire to represent Latvia in the European Championships, according to international basketball writer David Pick (Twitter links).

New York’s front office offered to approve Porzingis’ participation provided that assistant coach Joshua Longstaff is permitted to join the national team to work with the second-year big man. Longstaff, who has been with the Knicks since 2014, will remain in Latvia throughout the tournament, which runs from August 31st to September 17th.

Porzingis doesn’t need approval from the Knicks to participate in international play, so the move is largely symbolic. Still it’s a change in philosophy from the organization, which previously advised him to skip the competition. Injuries are the main concern as Porzingis missed 16 games this season with a left Achilles issue and back problems.

The Knicks were originally surprised to learn that Porzingis was planning to be part of Eurobasket. He skipped his exit interview with team president Phil Jackson in a protest over the ongoing chaos surrounding the team and has had little contact with the organization since the season ended.

The Latest On Kristaps Porzingis And The Knicks

April 24th, 2017 at 6:40pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kristaps Porzingis wants to remain in New York, but he places winning above location on his list of preferences, as Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “Absolutely, I want to stay here all my career,’’ Porzingis said. “But the thing I want most of all is winning. When the time comes, I will seriously start to think about it. Right now I just try to do my best.”

The big man was asked if he would consider another franchise when he is eligible for free agency if that organization gave him a better chance to win. He responded by saying it was a possibility, as ESPN.com relays. The 21-year-old has two years remaining on his rookie contract.

Porzingis is currently in Latvia and he’ll remain there for most of the summer. He spent time there last season as well and Mubarak Malik, who is the Knicks’ director of performance, visited the big man to provide him with a training program. Other members of the organization also spent time with Porzingis abroad last summer, but it’s unclear if the team will take the same approach this year, as Ian Begley of ESPN.com reports (ESPN Now link).

The Knicks haven’t spoken to Porzingis since he blew off his exit meeting with Phil Jackson. The big man reportedly was upset with the organizational chaos and that was the reason he stood Jackson up.

Porzingis announced today that he will play for his the Latvian national team in the European championships, something the Knicks had previously recommended him not to do. It appears that he didn’t inform the NBA club of his plans prior to making the announcement. “Kristaps is in a position to decide for himself on playing for the national side,” his brother Janis Porzingis said. By rule, NBA teams are not allowed to dictate participation in international events, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. However, many franchises have conversations with its players and make its position known.

One of New York’s concerns with Porzingis playing for his country’s team is the risk of injury. Porzingis’ camp did attempt to alleviate the organization’s concern. “In terms of insurance, we have agreed with the Latvian Basketball Association for the covering of the required amount,” Janis Porzingis said. “I cannot disclose the amount.”

The former No. 4 overall pick promises to report to the Knicks training camp in September, but until then, his focus is on his national team. “My third season is still far away,” He said. “The main thing is to put in a lot of work during the summer to be ready, first for national team, then for next season. The European championships ends before the official NBA camp starts, so I have enough time to turn back to New York. I’ll be there on time.”

Kristaps Porzingis Wants To Remain With Knicks

April 19th, 2017 at 8:32pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kristaps Porzingis blew off an end-of-season meeting with team president Phil Jackson, but that does not mean he wants to be traded, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes.

“Of course,” Porzingis said when asked if he wants to remain a Knick. “I love New York. I love New York.”

The team never received an explanation on why the big man decided to skip his scheduled meeting, a source tells Berman. The scribe hears that Porzingis is upset with how the organization has been run–especially the team’s dealings with his mentor, Carmelo Anthony. The 21-year-old declined to go into why he missed the meeting when asked on Wednesday.

“It’s not the right moment to comment on anything [about it],” he said. “I don’t want to say anything.’’

Last week, Porzingis said that he wants the franchise to have a clear direction. “No one’s comfortable with losing,” Porzingis said. “If it means going in the right direction and doing the right thing, let’s do that. But just having no idea the direction, then it’s not going to work out. The direction has to be clear what we want to do.”

During Jackson’s Good Friday press conference, he said that no one on the team is untouchable, which includes Porzingis. Berman notes that the Knicks will be hard-pressed to find equal value for the big man in a trade, adding the 21-year-old has a chance to become a star.

A source tells Berman that Jackson doesn’t feel good about Porzingis rebelling. “It wasn’t right,” said one individual close to Jackson. “But Phil went through this with Kobe [Bryant] and Andrew [Bynum], when they were still young but started to sprout their opinions and rebelled. It worked for Kobe. Hopefully this will make Kristaps better in the long run.”

Porzingis vows to “live in the gym” this summer, though he’ll spend most of it abroad. He leaves for Latvia on Thursday.

Porzingis To Spend Summer In Latvia; Anthony May Resist Trade

April 16th, 2017 at 9:30am CST by Arthur Hill

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.

Kristaps Porzingis Reportedly Skipped Exit Meetings

April 14th, 2017 at 11:30pm CST by Milo Taibi

The Knicks‘ season may be over, but the team’s PR struggles continued with Phil Jackson‘s press conference this afternoon. Following an unusual presser, in which Jackson asserted Carmelo Anthony would “be better off somewhere else,” Ian Begley of ESPN reported frustration from Kristaps Porzingis. Per Begley, Porzingis skipped exit meetings with the Knicks following this season, citing what he perceived to be “dysfunction and drama surrounding the organization.”

“Porzingis, according to team sources, is frustrated with the Knicks’ lack of direction,” Begley reports. Jackson’s remarks at Friday’s press conference involved Porzingis as well as Anthony; claiming the 21-year-old is not ready ot become the face of the franchise (Twitter link).

In the past, Porzingis hasn’t shied away from criticizing team management. At the end of March, Porzingis told Fred Kerber of the New York Post that his team didn’t do it from the beginning the right way…We didn’t have real fundamentals as a team.”

For what it’s worth, Jackson acknowledged the volatile reputation the Knicks have gathered in recent years.

“I think there’s disconnect sometimes with this team and I think there was some rebelliousness with this team that created some of the discord during the year. And I think has to stop and that will stop,” Jackson said.

New York Notes: Porzingis, Atkinson, Dinwiddie

April 8th, 2017 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kristaps Porzingis says Achilles tendinitis is responsible for a disappointing season, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The second-year big man began having Achilles pain at Christmas, and it has affected him ever since. “I was out there playing at a high level,” he said. “Then the injuries, little things [that] happened got me out of my rhythm. Then it was kind of on and off, some games good, some games not so good. I was trying to find that rhythm for a long time. Then the second part of the season, it was just a big fight for us and mentally tough. I think I grew from this season.’’

Porzingis has missed three straight games with back spasms and may not play again this season. Coach Jeff Hornacek said this week that he plans to be “careful” with how he uses the 21-year-old. If his season is over, Porzingis will finish with 66 games, six fewer than last year, while averaging 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per night.

There’s more tonight out of New York:

Porzingis should be prepared to inherit Carmelo Anthony‘s role as go-to guy next season, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. The Knicks are expected to make a concerted effort to trade Anthony this summer, and Porzingis seems like his logical successor. Iannazzone notes that Anthony and Derrick Rose dominated the ball this season, but both could be gone this summer.
First-year coach Kenny Atkinson offered gratitude and a promise to Nets fans after the team concluded its home schedule today, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn picked up its 20th win by rallying to play spoiler against the Bulls. “The crowd’s been outstanding considering we haven’t had a ton of wins and not fighting for a playoff spot,’’ Atkinson said. “The support’s been great. We understand we have to take another step next year, and they should demand that. That’s on us to get better this offseason.”
One of the players who helped pin the costly loss on the Bulls was point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who was waived by Chicago in the preseason, notes Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago. Dinwiddie scored Brooklyn’s final seven points of the game as the Nets erased a nine-point fourth quarter deficit. Dinwiddie came to the Bulls in a trade with the Pistons last June, but he was waived in July, then re-signed and was cut again in October. He signed with the Nets in early December.