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Knicks must start appeasing Kristaps Porzingis – Metro US

Knicks must start appeasing Kristaps Porzingis

New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis backs down a Boston Celtics defender. (Getty Images)

Somehow, some way, the Knicks as an organization find new ways to sink to new lows with every passing year.

Just a few days into their offseason and the crack lines within the foundation are alarming enough to legitimately worry about not just next year, but for the foreseeable future.

Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose will likely not be with the team next year, Joakim Noah’s suspension and injury have made his monster contract look like a disaster and president Phil Jackson continues to practice questionable techniques with the franchise and the media.

Through the smog of impending doom and gloom, there has been a bright spot for the last two seasons that Knicks fans could take solace in, which is the continued development of Kristaps Porzingis.

The young Latvian big man is no doubt the future of this franchise, but Jackson’s handling of the organization has taken its toll on Porzingis, who needs a break.

Porzingis skipped his end-of-season exit interviews with management and is planning to take an extended trip back to his home country that might not see him return until later this summer, per ESPN’s Ian Begley.

The reason? According to Begley, it’s because the team exhibited a “lack of direction.” Basically, the dreaded triangle offense continued to rear its ugly head into the Knicks offense.

That lack of consistency made it nearly impossible for the Knicks to find any rhythm and with off-court issues aplenty, the once-believed playoff contender stumbled to a fourth-straight postseason-less campaign.

The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski added that Porzingis is not alone with his frustration with the team. 

Multiple teammates are “privately fuming” and have no desire to take part in New York’s offseason triangle offense training

Jackson and Knicks management need to realize that they don’t have much to work with if they are set on dealing Anthony and letting Rose walk in free agency.

There is a chance to obtain promising talent in this year’s draft, but Porzingis needs to be the face of the franchise next season and beyond.

Getting on his bad side will only make the chances of driving him out of town far greater and will leave the team with nothing.

A solution? Abandon the triangle, give head coach Jeff Hornacek the offensive reins and try to keep Jackson quiet for the next two years of his contract.