Kristaps Porzingis wants to stay, win with New York Knicks

Kristaps Porzingis is in it for the long haul with the New York Knicks, but he wants to do some winning too.

Kristaps Porzingis appeared at training camp for the European Championships recently, and he had some interesting thoughts on his future with the New York Knicks. The New York Post translated his answer to a question from a young Latvian camper about why he wasn’t giving up on the Knicks.

“I feel that it is the best place to win,” Porzingis said. “And if you win in New York, you are king. For the last two years, I have had so many positive emotions here that this is where I want to stay and that this is where I want to win.”

His future in New York didn’t look that bright after he skipped his exit interview when the season ended, but the Knicks went on to relieve President of basketball operations Phil Jackson of his duties. That probably changed Porzingis’ perspective on the situation.

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The Knicks are in an odd spot. Carmelo Anthony has basically demanded a trade to either the Houston Rockets or Cleveland Cavaliers, and Kyrie Irving has indicated similar sentiments to his employer. Carmelo will most likely be out of town soon, and that will make the Knicks Porzingis’ team. Even if New York adds someone like Irving to the roster, Porzingis is clearly the future. Kevin Durant has called him “a unicorn” in the past, and it is hard to argue with that. There aren’t many players with Porzingis’ height that can shoot 3-pointers and have the mobility to guard three different positions.

The big man liked a tweet recently that featured Irving in a Knicks jersey, and that gives us a good indication of how that partnership would start out. Irving might ultimately regret leaving a winning situation once the trade happens, but who knows? Maybe Irving and Porzingis will make basketball history in New York. If they do, then they will both be kings.