Shaq tells Phil Jackson to trade everyone on Knicks, but keep Porzingis
By Nam Tran
Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal thinks New York Knicks’ President Phil Jackson should keep Kristaps Porzingis and trade everyone else on the team.
After it was reported New York Knicks’ president, Phil Jackson, is not ruling out the possibility of trading “unicorn” Kristaps Porzingis, fans went crazy. But the anger died down a bit when fans found out that Jackson’s asking price for Porzingis is “super high.”
However, Porzingis is still on the market. Shaquille O’Neal, who played for Jackson during his Los Angeles Lakers days, has a better solution to the Knicks’ losing woes that he thinks his former coach should consider.
O’Neal spoke to TMZ Sports and told them that Jackson should consider trading every other Knicks player, and keep Porzingis as the centerpiece of the team. O’Neal added that the former fourth overall pick is a hard worker and has a “bright future” in the league and that no team should ever trade a guy like him.
"“Keep Porzingis and trade everybody else around him,” he told TMZ Sports. “Just try to build around him. This kid has a bright future. He’s working out all summer. … He’s getting stronger, he’s definitely in the weight room. He’s never that guy who you can give up.”“If you trade him to the right team. Like for example, if you trade him to Cleveland …,” O’Neal said with a whistle."
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Porzingis is a rare type of player who only appears every so often. He is a long, lengthy big man who can shoot the ball from distance, like Dirk Nowitzki. But he can also defend in the post and rebound (he was fifth in the league for blocks per game), kind of like Serge Ibaka. Above that, he is only 21 years old and has only played two seasons in the NBA. He has a lot of potential and works hard to get better.
So, maybe Jackson should take Shaq’s advice on this one.