Yes, it's true. New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is seriously considering trading 21-year-old up-and-comer Kristaps Porzingis.
I'm sorry, Knicks fans, but this not a drill. In an interview with Al Trautwig on Knicks Night Live on Wednesday evening, Jackson confirmed the news himself.
"We're getting calls. As much as we value Kristaps and what he's done for us, when a guy doesn't show up for an exit meeting, everybody starts speculating on the duration or movability from a club," Jackson said. "So we've been getting calls and we're listening, but we're not intrigued yet at this level. But as much as we love this guy, we have to do what's good for our club."
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, the Knicks have made calls aiming to acquire a top-four pick in Thursday's NBA Draft in exchange for the 7-foot-3 Porzingis. The goal, according to Wojnarowski, is to net a top-four pick that will net them Kansas' Josh Jackson.
Should the Knicks land a deal before Thursday's NBA Draft with those terms, it would give the team two lottery picks -- adding to their current position of selecting No. 8 overall.
The idea of trading Porzingis is bananas to many, considering his productivity through two NBA seasons and his ceiling as a potential franchise player. But Jackson explained why the team might consider dealing him and what it might mean for the Knicks in the aftermath.
"The future, you know, what it brings," Jackson said. "Does it bring us two starters and a draft pick or something that's even beyond that? [That's] something we have to look at as far as going down the road."
