Recent rumors from the NBA have been about New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis. The Los Angeles are one of the few teams that have what the Knicks desire.
It has been a wild few days leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft. There have been a ton of rumors and also some trades have started to happen. While the Los Angeles Lakers made the big splash when they traded away D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets, it also became known that the Knicks were open to trading Kristaps Porzingis.
Porzingis is one of the best young big men in the NBA, but there have been a lot of issues in New York. The relationship between Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony certainly isn’t a good one. Also, relationship with Porzingis doesn’t appear to be either after Porzingis skipped the Knicks’ exit meetings.
Now, the Knicks appear willing to deal the player that many thought would be their savior. Since Porzingis is a great young player, the asking price will, of course, be high. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks are looking for a top-4 pick to select Josh Jackson.
Knicks have made calls about Kristaps Porzingis, aiming for a top-four pick to get Josh Jackson. - @WojVerticalNBA https://t.co/zT5sHvQJGZ
— Yahoo Sports NBA (@YahooSportsNBA) June 22, 2017
Since the Philadelphia 76ers just recently acquired the first overall pick for Markelle Fultz, it appears unlikely that they would deal the pick for Porzingis. If we assume the 76ers are out, that leaves the Lakers, Celtics, and Suns with the final three picks in the top 4.
As a unique talent, Porzingis would be a great addition to any team that might trade for him. As a young player that is somewhat proven, Porzingis is certainly worth a top-4 pick. While there has been no reported interest from the Lakers, they are one of the few teams that have what the Knicks desire.
Next: 4 reasons why trading D'Angelo Russell was the right move
If the Lakers didn’t trade D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets, it would have been interesting to see if they had any interest in Porzingis. However, the Lakers need to use their second overall pick on Lonzo Ball, as they need a point guard for the future.