New York Knicks: Finding a silver lining with the Kristaps Porzingis injury
While the season-ending injury to Kristaps Porzingis is devastating, it could provide the New York Knicks with an opportunity to build a better future.
It’s official. After posting career-high numbers across the board and preparing to make his first career All-Star Game appearance, Kristaps Porzingis suffered a season-ending injury that’s been diagnosed as a torn ACL in his left knee.
This news is no doubt deflating for Knicks fans—not because this injury shuts the door on a possible championship run, but because it puts the future of the franchise in doubt.
Porzingis could make a full recovery, making this only a blip in what will hopefully become a Hall of Fame career. It’s an optimistic stance, but it’s also a sign of respect for what has proven to be a strong work ethic.
Ironically enough, Porzingis’ injury might actually help the Knicks build a stronger foundation for the future.
Before the injury, the Knicks were in a weird spot. They were fighting to make the playoffs, but being five games out of the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference, they had very little chance of doing so.
Mediocrity is the last thing any franchise should want, and given the Knicks’ competitiveness, it’s where they were headed.
Porzingis’ injury no doubt shuts the door on those chances and should make it very clear which direction this team should be headed in.
With the trade deadline less than two days away, this would be a great opportunity for the Knicks to hold a fire sale for veterans like Courtney Lee and Kyle O’Quinn in exchange for as much young talent and draft picks as possible.
Speaking of draft picks, the Knicks own their first-round selection in the upcoming 2018 NBA Draft, which has been dubbed one of the deepest in recent memory.
Assuming they pull an all-out tank job, the Knicks should be able to boost their odds for the draft lottery, which could help them land a potential superstar to pair with Porzingis.
Remember, the only reason the Spurs were in a position to draft Tim Duncan first overall in the 1997 NBA Draft was that star center David Robinson played in only six games the previous season due to injury. Without the unfortunate injury, the Spurs’ dynasty doesn’t even exist.
In the end, none of this matters if Porzingis doesn’t make a full recovery from this injury. He’s the face of the Knicks’ franchise and carries one of the more unique skill sets in the league. A team isn’t likely to find another Porzingis in the draft.
Whatever future the New York Knicks have—draft picks or not—it starts and ends with Porzingis. Having said that, sometimes things need to get worse before they can get better.
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Kristaps Porzingis has a long recovery ahead of him, but if he’s able to push through the adversity and come back better than ever, the team he returns to could be in a much better position than the one he left.