Getty Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks is congratulated by teammate Carmelo Anthony.
Since the turn of the century, the New York Knicks have certainly struggled to find consistent success from an overall team standpoint, as they’ve endured 17 losing seasons over the last 22 years and have clinched a playoff berth on just 5 separate occasions during this time frame.
That said, despite their bevy of lackluster campaigns, the franchise has found itself rostering several high-end talents along the way.
From Latrell Sprewell and David Lee to Carmelo Anthony and, most recently, Julius Randle, throughout this span, New York has seen their fair share of players representing the franchise during All-Star weekend.
However, of all these top-billed talents from years past, one, in particular, is viewed as the missing piece for the title-contending Miami Heat.
In an opinion piece published on August 9 by Sports Illustrated’s Ben Stinar, former Knicks centerpiece and 2018 All-Star selection Kristaps Porzingis was tabbed as being an ideal trade target for the Heat to consider pursuing this season, with his talents on the offensive side of the ball serving as a major reason for why.
Porzingis’ Offensive Abilities Could Benefit Miami
Measuring in at seven-foot-three with a seven-foot-six wingspan, Porzingis’ offensive skill set is something that’s not generally found in someone of his stature.
Throughout his seven-year NBA tenure, the Latvia native has established himself as a menacing force on the hardwood, particularly in the scoring department where, for his career, he boasts averages of 18.9 points per game on 35% shooting from distance.
Just last season, the big man saw himself posting 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 blocks in 51 games, the final 17 of which were played with the Washington Wizards, who acquired him at the February 10 trade deadline from the Dallas Mavericks, where he put up 22.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 47.5% shooting from the floor and 36.7% shooting from deep.
Time and time again, Porzingis has proven to be a matchup nightmare and an overall force to be reckoned with on the offensive side of the ball, which is why Stinar believes that adding him to a Miami Heat foundation already consisting of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry could finally push them over the hump and into another NBA Championship.
“The Heat already have a core built up of Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. All three players have been All-Stars, so it is a pretty solid big-three. That being said, they could use another scoring option behind Butler. Porzingis would be the perfect player to play next to Adebayo, and he would make life a lot easier for Butler.
“In addition, the Heat are very well known for bringing the best out of players, and it’s fair to say that Porzingis was seen as a player who had potential to be better than he already is. Even if he was a finished product, the Heat would be getting a very solid player that could probably propel them into being an even better team than last year.
“That being said, they could also make him better as an individual player than he has ever been. In 2020, the Heat lost in the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers. Even though they have come up short, the Heat have been right on the cusp of a title in two out of the last three seasons. Porzingis might be just the player they need to seal the deal.”
Knicks Still Looking for a Star
Just a few years back, Kristaps Porzingis was viewed as the cornerstone for the Knicks. Someone who would guide them back to a state of relevancy after years of sheer mediocrity.
Fast forward to 2022, and not only has the big man fallen from his lofty status of being a foundational building block but New York still finds itself searching for that long-term star to help lead them into the future.
Looking at the current state of the roster, the team has several players who they hope will wind up developing into perennial All-Stars and legitimate franchise centerpieces.
On top of this, they’re also reportedly heavily interested in the idea of acquiring star guard Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz, and, with their assetts, can likely outbid anyone for his services.
Unfortunately, however, at the moment a trade seems to be a ways away as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported in a July 29 appearance on The Rally that the two sides have “stalled out” in their talks.
In the meantime, the search for New York’s future star is still on.