According to multiple reports, the Dallas Mavericks have completed a blockbuster trade for Kristaps Porzingis from New York, with Dennis Smith Jr., and DeAndre Jordan heading to the big apple
Just hours after Kristaps Porzingis reportedly voiced his displeasure on the direction of the New York Knicks, the 7-foot-3 star is already heading to a new organization.
New York has agreed with Dallas on trade that includes Kristaps Porzingis, Courtney Lee, Tim Hardaway Jr., for Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith Jr. and DeAndre Jordan, league sources tell ESPN. Players and agents are being notified of particulars. Deal may include more draft assets.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 31, 2019
The deal will send Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee along with Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, giving Luka Doncic a monster target down low in the Latvian center. DeAndre Jordan and DSJ will go to the Knicks.
Porzingis has shown how unhappy he’s been with how management was dealing with the whole Knicks situation, and just hours after Porzingis said he’d like to be traded, there were reportedly numerous teams calling about their franchise player. Dallas offered the most in return for Porzingis, and the deal has now been finalized.
This sets up a scary 1-2 punch of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis in Dallas. Doncic has emerged as the most impressive rookie in the league this year averaging around 20 points per night, while Porzingis has averaged 18 points a game during his three-year career. The Latvian was named an All-Star last season but tore his ACL just days later and never got to play in the game. He hasn’t played all season due to the injury, but he will be evaluated in mid-February and could be back to full strength by the month’s end.
Even though he looked to be the Knicks building block, Porzingis was involved in trade talks several times over the last few years. New York currently sits last in the Eastern Conference at 10-40. This trade will give Porzingis the opportunity to play for a team with some promise while having a top-notch playmaker in Doncic feeding him the ball in the paint.
Porzingis is a solid athlete for his size and has the ability to shoot the ball from long range along with being a physical presence inside. He will be a free agent this summer.
Dennis Smith Jr. has struggled to reach his true potential in Dallas, so a change of scenery may be a good thing for the former NC State standout. As for DeAndre Jordan, he will likely either be dealt to another team before next week’s NBA Trade Deadline, or will be a buyout candidate.
In the long run, this is a good trade for the Knicks and Porzingis because this opens up cap space for the team, which could help them trade for some high-profile players in the offseason.
As for Porzingis, he now has the chance to play for a team that can be a contender in the future, and maybe even sneak into a playoff spot this year if they have a strong second half.