Knicks: Why the Mavericks have already lost the Porzingis trade
2) Porzingis’ health
It’s a well-known fact in the NBA that when players eclipse 7 feet tall, their health is a major issue for their entire careers, especially in the lower extremities.
Porzingis has yet to play a full season as a pro, and this year has been no exception. They say “the best ability is availability” and even with the guard-like skills the 7’3″ Latvian possesses, if he’s barely on the court, the Mavs cannot benefit from his presence.
In just his 5th season, Porzingis has experienced a total of 23 different injuries that have caused him to miss time. These injuries include a torn ACL, a torn meniscus, and a myriad of other knee and ankle injuries amongst a few miscellaneous ones as well. It’s safe to assume that KP may not make it long enough in the NBA to earn another contract once his current one is up.
3) The Mavs aren’t winning
In the six games since Porzingis has returned, the Mavericks are a pedestrian 3-3, losing to teams they should be crushing in the lowly Bulls and Raptors. While his stats would suggest he’s been playing well, averaging 20.3 per game, his assists and total rebounds per game are suffering while he’s shooting an abysmal 33% from deep, which is the worst of his entire career.
Even with Luka Doncic absolutely dominating this season, it’s all for naught, as his over-7-foot sidekick isn’t helping the team win their contests. There are already rumors swirling around the internet that the Mavs may be looking to move on from Porzingis by the deadline, in hopes of pairing Doncic with a more competent star to help the young superstar make a legitimate push come playoff time.
The picks New York should receive in the 2021 and 2023 (fingers crossed) drafts should turn out to be players that will help shape the Knicks organization for the next decade and longer, as both drafts are widely recognized as deep with talent.
Next. Dreaming up an all-Kentucky lineup. dark
All in all, I think we’re in very good shape moving forward and this trade may be viewed as one of the best the organization has ever pulled off when it’s all said and done.