NY Knicks: What if Kristaps Porzingas developed into superstar in NYC?

What if recent New York Knicks history was different?

The first installment of this series, which ponders the alternate universe in which Joakim Noah thrived in NYC, can be found here.

Today, we revisit and rewrite the career for a controversial character: former New York All-Star Kristaps Porzingis.

New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis bursts onto the scene

The beginning of Porzingis’ career remains unchanged. As you recall, the selection of KP was widely scrutinized at the time. Knicks’ fans, frustrated by an array of draft busts over the decade, immediately greeted the relatively unknown prospect with boos as he was chosen with the #4 overall pick. Here’s the footage if you need a reminder:

However, the Latvian star quickly won over the New York crowd as he emerged as a difference-making on-court player. With the benefit of hindsight, KP was one of only four players from his class to earn All-Star honors.

His career reached its pinnacle during the 2017 season he posted per-game averages of 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks on 44% shooting from the field and 40% from three.

The Knicks began to daydream that they had found their next franchise player. And the heir-apparent to Carmelo Anthony. Then, the union began to unravel… With a season needing torn ACL.

At the time, it was unthinkable that Porzingis would never suit up in blue and orange again. However, a recovery that cost him the entirety of the 2018-2019 season. Eventually, frustration mounted and a trade demand was made. He would be shipped to Dallas for the 2019-2020 campaign.

Let’s consider what both parties would look like had this plot twist never occurred. What if KP fully recovered from his injury? Furthermore, what if he continued to develop into a perennial All-Star and franchise player?

The Kevin Durant Effect?

What impact would a healthy, star, Porginzis have made on the future of the New York Knicks? To begin, he could have ushered in an era of competent basketball in Madison Square Garden.

Thankfully, the Knicks have found their pathway toward this goal in the form of Tom Thibodeau, Julius Randle, and Derrick Rose. However, consider how NYC could have changed if New York corrected its reputation years before.

Perhaps, a competent Knicks’ roster, which had made a postseason push under Porzingis’ leadership, would have been far more alluring during Kevin Durant’s recent free agency.

After all, it was Durant that proclaimed the Porzingis “the unicorn” for his unique combination of size, shooting, and shot-blocking ability. He has also praised KP publically on multiple occasions. Perhaps Durant, one of the only other seven-footers in the history of basketball to shoot at an all-time clip, would have been tempted to join the Knicks roster over the Nets.

It’s reckless speculation. But it isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

“Great Value” Dirk Nowitzki

KP’s aforementioned combo of size and shooting led to immediate comparisons to Dallas superstar Dirk Nowitzki. While I won’t blaspheme against Nowitzki’s greatness by speculating that Porzingis could have followed in his MVP footsteps, one can’t help but wonder what heights the Latvian star would have reached if unhindered by injury and inconsistency.

Dirk himself publically stated that KP’s polish at age 20 was superior to his own.  We’ll stop well short of Championships, league MVPs, and Finals MVPs. But a healthy and developed version of Porginzis could very well have led New York toward an era of postseason berths that would have significantly impacted the ball club.

The Conclusion

All of this rewrite talk leaves Knicks fans in a strange position. On one hand, it’s fun to daydream and ponder what could have been. It’s fascinating to consider how the dominoes could have fallen differently if one small change had occurred.

On the other, this line of thinking leaves Knicks’ faithful with further frustration and animosity toward their former star for the way the union ultimately ended.

Porginis is still attempting to right his career arch as he attempts to reestablish himself alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas. As he suits up in each game in 2021, we can’t help but wonder… What if?