Kristaps Porzingis once held a special place in the hearts of New York Knicks fans, who viewed him as the key to breaking the franchise’s long-standing cycle of dysfunction, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.
However, after enduring a career-threatening injury and a contentious exit from the team, Porzingis now stands as a member of the Boston Celtics, an opponent standing in the way of the Knicks’ dreams of advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
When Porzingis was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, he was widely regarded as a “unicorn” – a player with a rare blend of height and shooting ability that made him a unique asset.
His arrival in New York was met with excitement, and he quickly became a fan favorite.
However, his ambitions to elevate the Knicks to contender status were thwarted by poor management and what Bondy describes as “petty infighting” within the organization, involving both the front office and coaching staff.
Bondy points out that former Knicks executives Phil Jackson and Steve Mills never truly saw Porzingis as the cornerstone of the team and even attempted to trade him after his second season, with little success.
Things worsened when Porzingis suffered a torn ACL midway through the next season, leading to him missing the entire 2018-19 campaign. As he was still recovering, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, and Knicks management painted him as the villain during his departure.
“The whole process was just a mess,” Porzingis reflected. “I didn’t like the way it ended. That wasn’t how I wanted it to end, if it did end. I tried to stay myself the whole time.
“Not do anything. Not say anything. If I did say anything, it would’ve been right after I was traded. Now it’s too late.”
Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, Towns https://t.co/qZRIzKthPc pic.twitter.com/Z2t7sMlA42
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) May 4, 2025
