Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis: No elbow procedure needed

Porzingis said Saturday that he won't require offseason surgery to address the swelling and soreness on his elbow that bothered him for significant portions of the 2017-18 campaign, Ian Begley of ESPN.com reports.

Even if the big man had needed an elbow procedure, it's unlikely that it would impact his outlook for 2018-19, as Porzingis' recovery from February surgery to repair a torn left ACL remains the chief concern. The Knicks haven't provided a projected return timetable for the franchise cornerstone, but the expectation is that he'll need at least 10-to-12 months to make a full recovery, meaning that he likely won't be available for the start of the upcoming season. If it's any consolation, Porzingis should at least be able to work on his shooting throughout the summer without restriction now that his elbow is no longer a concern.