Kristaps Porzingis being shopped may not be such a bad thing

The trade rumors are frustrating and concerning, but it may not be a bad thing that Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks are shopping Kristaps Porzingis.

This isn’t going to be a popular opinion, but if Phil Jackson was sincere in his attempts to gauge interest for Kristaps Porzingis, that might not be such a bad thing. Now before you click X on your browser window, hear me out.

When Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical stunned Twitter with news of Jackson shopping Porzingis around the league, the reaction from fans was predictably coarse. Just the thought of the Knicks trading their most gifted asset since Patrick Ewing seemed comically on brand, but still frustrating for a fan base that hasn’t experienced much success in over two decades of futility.

I myself am a big believer in a promising Knicks future anchored by Porzingis, so I joined the chorus of criticism against Jackson. However, the more I thought about it, the more it started to dawn on me that perhaps it might be better to cool off a bit before jumping off a proverbial cliff.

Just days ago, we saw the Boston Celtics trade the prized No. 1 overall draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers. Like many, I’m still in shock that any executive would do such a thing.

Some might describe Danny Ainge’s move as a gamble, but a few others are starting to call it a calculated risk that’s tilted more in Boston’s favor. The reason why is because, in a loaded draft, there’s a very good chance Markelle Fultz may not even be considered the best pick of his class two or three years from now.

Instead of thinking short-term, what Ainge is thinking about what personnel moves put Boston in the best position to win over the next few years—which is probably when the Golden State Warriors’ grip on the league may start to loosen.

So what’s the point of all this you ask? Well, can you imagine the Knicks’ front office thinking this way? The answer is absolutely not. That’s because what has always plagued the Knicks is an addiction to short-term fixes to systemic problems that are never addressed professionally.

Whether it is signing past-their-prime free agents or horrendously overvaluing rookies, the unimaginative personnel moves the Knicks have made over these past few decades, many of which have backfired, all stem from this pattern of thinking.

In my opinion, the simple fact that Jackson is not enshrining Porzingis as an untouchable piece is something I consider a healthy sign of a front office that is willing to be flexible instead of hitching their fortunes on to a single player.

Perhaps after the Knicks went all-in on Carmelo Anthony without anything to show for it but a single first round playoff series victory, they’ve finally learned to become more discerning of talent.

I’m not saying that trading Porzingis is the right thing to do. In fact, I don’t even think there’s a single player in the draft better than him.

If the Knicks are going to compete in the modern NBA, however, they are going to need to become as innovative and nimble as other teams that show a willingness to scrap failing plans and go back to the drawing board in order to recalibrate and retool.

Teams that are successful are responsive to changes in the league, and that’s something the Knicks haven’t been good at in decades.

There’s a chance I could be giving Jackson more credit than is deserved. In fact, I wouldn’t put it past him to engage in a subliminal message war with Porzingis just to put him in his place after he cut off contact with the team.

Jackson’s asking price is reportedly so high that it’s not something teams are taking seriously.

If that’s the case, then it just gives more credence to this entire charade being theatre. It also would mean that Jackson’s ego could be one of the Knicks’ biggest obstacles.

For now, I’m going to interpret these developments as a positive one. Though Kristaps Porzingis is an incredibly valuable asset, there are still many players better than him.

Must Read: 2017 NBA Mock Draft: New York Knicks and all 60 picks

If obtaining even better assets comes at a cost of just one to the New York Knicks, like Danny Ainge, Phil Jackson would be wise to take it.