It looks like the Dallas Mavericks had something big when they acquired NBA star Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks two years ago. At the time, everyone thought the Mavericks had fled the Knicks, and it was hard to argue against that.
Dallas sent running contracts to Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan because New York was aiming to select superstars in the free agency, Dennis Smith Jr., and two future first-round picks. Matthews was bought out before the season ended, Jordan left as a free agent and Smith was a mitigating disaster that confirmed Dallas beyond the winners. However, things are starting to swing towards the Knicks’ side.
The Mavericks have started picking up over the past few weeks, but that coincided with Porzingis being sidelined. All that the Knicks fans mocked for saying about Porzingis is what Mavericks fans are saying now. It sounds like the organization is now also trying to move on from Porzingis.
Rumors are starting to surface that Dallas is showing interest in Porzingis in the league. Mark Cuban shuts down the rumors, but if there is smoke, there is usually fire, and that seems to be the case with Porzinigs.
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According to Marc Spears of The Undefeated, Kristaps Porzingis is a player to watch Dallas with his salary, injury history and ‘high maintenance issues’ mentioned as reasons for it.
"No matter what you’re hearing, they say keep an eye on Kristaps Porzingis. He is somebody that Dallas is shopping. Because of salary, injuries, and as one scout said 'high maintenance issues.'"
– Marc J. Spears
(Via ESPN’s The Jump) pic.twitter.com/WZQQlDLgHc— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) February 27, 2021
While Porzingis has made it clear to the Knicks that he does not want to be there in the long run, these are the same issues they had to commit to in the long run. Since the start of the 2017-18 season, Porzingis has appeared in just 122 games. He missed the entire 2018-19 season by recovering from a torn ACL and also tore his meniscus in 2020, so the injuries are legal.
For Dallas, the long-term deal that Porzingis agreed to could quickly become a real problem, as they hire Tim Hardaway Jr. and Luka Doncic should expand in the following seasons. Making the most money for a player who cannot stay healthy is not ideal for team building.
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The high maintenance issues also surfaced towards the end of his term in office in New York. Porzingis gets dubious advice and his brother seems to have a negative influence on him.
Despite being only 25 years old, Kristaps Porzingis’ value drops every game he misses another game. The Mavericks will be smart to buy him and see what packages they can receive for him, as it will probably get worse the longer he stays with them.