NBA Rumor: Kristaps Porzingis Free Agency
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Brad Townsend: Mavs announce @Kristaps Porzingis contract signing. Terms not released, but we all know he received a 5-year, $158 million max contract.
Mavs, Kristaps Porzingis agree on five-year deal
Meanwhile, a league source told The News that within minutes after free agency opens Sunday the Mavericks expect to formalize a five-year, $158 million agreement with arguably this year’s premier restricted free agent, Kristaps Porzingis.
Last week, a source close to Porzingis told The News that his priorities were to finalize a longterm contract with Dallas as soon as possible, and to spent a large part of the summer, most likely August, training with Doncic.
Brad Townsend: Source close to @kporzee tells me his priorities are: 1. Get longterm deal done with Dallas ASAP. 2. Spend a big chunk of the summer training with @luka7doncic. Clearly he’s all in on Dallas and Luka. Why wouldn’t he be?
Chris Mannix: Unclear what contract route Porzingis takes. But I’m told KP forged a strong connection with Luka Doncic in his short time in Dallas and has enjoyed his experience with @Mark Cuban. Seems like a good long term fit.
Mavs offering Kristaps Porzingis a max contract
Shams Charania: Restricted free agent Kristaps Porzingis and the Dallas Mavericks will meet when free agency opens on June 30 and the franchise plans to offer Porzingis a full five-year, $158 million maximum contract, league sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Due to injury, Latvian Porzingis has yet to play for the Texans. “Right now it’s really about his health and getting him 100 percent healthy, 100 percent strong and preparing him for an entire NBA season. He’s done an awful lot of work over the last two years since the injury” Carlisle said and went on: “He’s worked really hard since coming to us in February, and so we feel like he’s going to be able to be 100 percent and be ready to go come training camp.” The 23-year-old big is set to become a restricted free agent. “He’s a free agent on July 1. We have to get him re-signed and then he’ll have a program through the summer” his head coach confirmed and added: “Camp starts, I believe, Sept. 30, this year, so the plan is for him to be ready to go on Day One.”
Brad Townsend: Porzingis is “our No. 1 priority” this offseason, Nelson says.
Tim MacMahon: Mark Cuban, asked his expectations for Kristaps Porzingis next season: “To f—info crush it. We’re looking for The Unicorn to unicii. I don’t know if that’s a word, but that’s what we expect.”
Porzingis, who will be a restricted free agent that the Mavs plan to sign to a five-year, $158 million maximum contract this summer, is preparing to help Dallas end a three-year playoff drought next season. “For me personally, the goal is to take that first step at least and make the playoffs,” Porzingis said. “I want to experience that. I want to get that first feel. I understand that we’re not going to win a championship in one year, but that is the end goal. But in my mind, we have to take that first step: make the playoffs, see how far we can get in the playoffs, get that first experience, get that first taste. Then take the next step and make the right moves towards that next step.”
Porzingis said he plans to be active in recruiting free agents to sign with the Mavs, who created the salary cap space to be aggressive shoppers this summer by trading forward Harrison Barnes to the Kings soon after dealing for Porzingis.
Marc Stein: Powerful quote from Mavs owner Mark Cuban that will be part of Tuesday’s @nytimes NBA newsletter: “It was my mistake not to keep Dirk (Nowitzki) and Steve (Nash) together longer,” Cuban tells @NYTSports. “I won’t make the same mistake with Luka (@Luka Doncic) and KP (@Kristaps Porzingis).”
The inquiry was about whether Porzingis, the 7-foot-3 centerpiece of the trade, plans to sign a long-term deal with the Mavericks when he enters restricted free agency this summer. “I can answer that for you,” Cuban said. “Yeah, he does.” Porzingis, 23, responded with a laugh. Asked for confirmation he said, “We’re on the same page. Don’t even ask.”
Porzingis still has the option of playing next season on a $4.5 million qualifying offer instead of accepting an offer that can be worth as much as $158 million over five years. The Mavs, however, are confident that Porzingis will play in Dallas for years to come. “It’s not a concern I have,” Cuban told ESPN after the news conference. “Everything so far, all the conversations so far, have been very positive. Unless it’s something that we don’t expect pops up, hopefully he’ll be a Maverick for the next 20 years.”
Marc Stein: Mark Cuban on Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis: “Our goal is to keep them together for the next 20 years.”
Kristaps Porzingis is Charlotte Hornets center Willy Hernangomez’s best friend. Hernangomez loved playing with Porzingis before and wants to play with him again. So Hernangomez has already planted a seed should Porzingis, traded Thursday from the New York Knicks to the Dallas Mavericks, reaches unrestricted free-agency in the summer of 2020. “I will try to get him here. I’m his friend. I would love to play with him (again). I will say, “KP., come here!’” Hernangomez told the Observer Friday. “I’ve already told him; he knows how amazing Charlotte is. If he would come here, we’d sure welcome him. If not, we’ll play against him.”
“I don’t know,” Hernangomez said when asked if he could see Porzingis signing the qualifying offer. “I think for him it’s trying to have a good year, (focusing on) getting back his rhythm. Maybe I could see him signing there, but I will try to get him here.”
Hernangomez is also close with Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic, having played with him in Spain. Doncic, a 19-year-old Slovenian, appears to be a favorite at this point in the season to end up NBA Rookie of the Year. “They are two of my best friends. I was talking to KP one day about the trade (possibilities) and everything while playing (the online video game) Fortnight with Luka,” Hernangomez recalled.
Tim MacMahon: Mavs agreed to a trade with plan to sign Kristaps Porzingis to a long-term deal this summer and are confident they can with Luka Doncic and Dirk Nowitzki selling him. “He loves Luka and Dirk,” a source said.
Shams Charania: Porzingis is incredibly fond of Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic — and the Mavericks have confidence they will be able to keep Porzingis, league sources said. Knicks/Mavericks talks started picking up steam Wednesday night.
Ian Begley: Worth noting: Kristaps Porzingis is familiar with Luka Doncic from his workouts in Madrid over the summer. Porzingis spent time in the city while rehabbing his ACL at the Real Madrid facility.
Rick Bonnell: In @Willy Hernangomez first game back in NY against the Knicks, he said he wants to recruit close friend Kristaps Porzingis to the @Charlotte Hornets He said that in a joking manner, but if Porzingis reaches UFA status in summer of 2020, put him to work.
Eric Pincus: For context, no player has ever turned away a max extension off their rookie-scale contract under the current CBA and I believe the last CBA as well – if Porzingis does (not saying he won’t), he’ll be the first
Adrian Wojnarowski: Kristaps Porzingis, who can become a restricted free agent this summer, has yet to make a decision on his future with Dallas, league sources tell ESPN. He expects to start the process of getting to know the organization soon. Porzingis will continue to rehab his ACL injury.
The Knicks get a point guard of the future in Smith, who had a triple-double at the Garden on Wednesday night, and should now have enough cap space for two maximum free agents — with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving squarely on their radar. A source said general manager Scott Perry and Mavs chief Donnie Nelson were behind closed doors at the Garden discussing scenarios when the Mavericks faced the Knicks on Wednesday night.
The Knicks, by including the contracts of Hardaway and Lee, will clear the requisite salary-cap space this summer to pursue two maximum contract free agents, while Dallas will be able to pair Porzingis — who is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in July — with its star rookie Luka Doncic.
Bobby Marks: Kristaps Porzingis is eligible to receive a $4.485M Qualifying Offer by New York this summer. While the Knicks have leverage, signing the QO would make KP unrestricted in 2020. Only 15 players have signed the QO with Ben Gordon representing the highest pick (no. 3).
Porzingis, sidelined for nearly a year with an ACL injury, can become a restricted free agent this summer. Increasing tensions on both sides could culminate with the Knicks initiating trade talks prior to Thursday’s trade deadline or in the offseason to move Porzingis out of New York, league sources said. His uncertain standing with the Knicks has been the focus of multiple teams around the league, who’ve wondered if there would be pathway to acquire him, front office sources told ESPN.
Kristaps Porzingis concerned with Knicks' losing
Adrian Wojnarowski: Reporting with @ZachLowe and @RamonaShelburne: In meeting with management today, Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis expressed his concern with the losing, franchise direction and an uncertainty that a culture is developing that will enable sustainable organizational success.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Porzingis wants to play for a winner in New York, but is searching for clarity on his future role with the team and Knicks direction. Porzingis — out with an ACL injury — can be a restricted free agent this summer.
The other issue is the uncertainty over how enamored Porzingis is with staying in New York. That troubled at least one small-market GM. “You’re going to have to give him the max,” he said, “but if he isn’t happy in New York, what are the chances he’s going to be happy in Portland or Indiana or San Antonio?”
Spurs eyeing Kristaps Porzingis?
The Spurs are also viewed as a team with significant interest in Porzingis, according to league front office sources, though it’d be difficult for San Antonio to create enough cap space this summer. In any case, signing a max offer sheet would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2023 (or in 2022 if it included a player option).
As Porzingis continues to rehabilitate his injury, teams around the league are looking ahead to his restricted free agency this offseason. With the Knicks looking to create enough cap space to sign Durant, which will require renouncing free agent rights and trading either Tim Hardaway Jr. or Courtney Lee, teams are wondering what will happen with Porzingis.
Regarding No. 2, watch out for the Brooklyn Nets. Sean Marks, the team’s GM, is high on Porzingis, according to a source, and has a history of offering big money to restricted free agents.
At this point, the question isn’t just whether the Knicks should offer Porzingis a max contract but also whether he should sign one. Because the word on Porzingis is that he loves New York but is skeptical about the Knicks. And who wouldn’t be?
In between the extremes, there’s the Knicks offering less than the full max. Some around the league believe the team will try to include protections in the contract, meaning it wouldn’t be fully guaranteed should Porzingis miss an allotted amount of games due to a specific injury. Joel Embiid’s deal is structured in such a way. However, Porzingis views himself as a max player — as he should — and coming to the negotiating table with less risks discord, especially after letting it reach this point of restricted free agency. The Sixers extended Embiid’s contract before he became a free agent.
Knicks president Steve Mills was asked on The Michael Kay Show if Kristaps Porzingis is unhappy with the Knicks’ decision not to sign him to a rookie extension. He said that wasn’t the case. “We’ve been very straightforward in our communication with KP’s brother (Janis Porzingis), who is his agent.”
Steve Mills: “One thing about my relationship with KP is that when he is unhappy about something or disappointed about something he’s been very forthright in coming to me and saying, ‘Steve you know what? I’m not happy about this. And throughout this whole process he’s been very excited about David Fizdale as the coach, he’s been very excited about the players, the young players that we have. “
Steve Mills: “We believe it was the smart move. But primarily because over the summer, Scott and I sat down with KP’s brother (Janis Porzingis, Kristaps’ agent) and talked about the different options that we have in front of us as it related to his extension. We were clear that the best option to make the Knicks a better team long term and have a better group of guys that KP can grow with long term was to not do the extension at this point.”
Alan Hahn: GM Scott Perry today acknowledged decision to not sign Porzingis to contract extension now (leaving him to go to RFA this summer) was motivated by “financial flexibility” that “is created by that.” Said both sides understood the math. #Knicks
Alan Hahn: Perry also added that Porzingis “wants to win, as do we” and “we both want to see a #Knicks roster that is going to be highly competitive for the long term.” He said the team and KP “are at a comfortable place” with the decision.
Stefan Bondy: Scott Perry on if it’s a risk letting Porzingis become free agent: “I’m not going to get into predicting anything about the future. I would just reiterate that I think as a group and we have a shared goal of making the Knicks a very good basketball team going into the long term.”
Mike Vorkunov: Today’s the deadline for Knicks to sign Kristaps Porzingis to a rookie extension. The indications are that it won’t happen. The Knicks will have an extra $10 mil in cap space next summer by waiting to re-sign him then. With no deal does Fizdale sense KP is on board w/ NYK future? pic.twitter.com/fzUP1I7dFK
Bobby Marks: Here are the deadlines for Monday: * Rookie extensions- 6 PM EST. * Vet extensions for a player with 2 years left on his contract. * Rosters set (DET, LAC, MIL, PHX and SAS still need to trim)- 5 PM EST. * Exhibit 10 converted to a Two Way. * CLE $2.5 and $1.3M TPE expires. Ian Begley: The Knicks are not expected to come to an agreement with Kristaps Porzingis on a rookie extension prior to today’s deadline, so he will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Knicks brass is paying off Kristaps Porzingis in encouraging words rather than extra millions. The Knicks have until mid-October to give Porzingis a $158 million contract extension but are not planning to do so.
At Thursday’s press conference, Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry said Porzingis understands the predicament. Brass has taken great lengths to convince him he’s still “The Franchise.” … The Knicks hope to re-sign Porzingis when he is a restricted free agent in 2019. That way, the team could climb over the salary cap. An extension now would take up precious cap room. Doing it next summer would open up $10 million in cap space.
“Our philosophy is that we’re going to stay connected with [the Porzingis camp],” Perry said. “It’s a long-term thing. Obviously you mentioned the point of the cap space in July. But we just feel like we’re in a real good space with him, as well as he is with us. And we’re going to do the right thing by him and this organization.” Mills said they have made it clear to Porzingis the Knicks’ orbit still revolves around him. “He’ll never feel like he’s not a cornerstone part of what we’re trying to do here,” Mills said. “He understands that. We make that crystal clear to him and his representation.”
Mike Vorkunov: GM Scott Perry wouldn’t comment on whether Knicks and Kristaps Porzingis have had negotiations on a contract extension. So is he headed towards restricted free agency next summer? “We continue to stay in touch with Kristaps and he’s part of our long-term plan.” — Perry
Ian Begley: There are more than a few teams who can offer a better package to San Antonio for Kawhi than the Knicks can (assuming they don’t include Porzingis), but people close to Leonard have expressed a desire for Leonard to play in New York, per sources. twitter.com/chrisbhaynes/s…
In an article published Tuesday, Janis Porzingis suggested that Porzingis would not decide to sign an extension solely because the Knicks can offer him the most money, fueling speculation that Porzingis would leave the Knicks rather than signing a rookie extension. Asked before Friday’s game about the possible fan reaction to his brother’s comments, Kristaps Porzingis strongly indicated that he planned to remain with the Knicks. “I think fans know I’m here in New York, I love New York and I see myself as a Knick for a long, long time,” he said. “And I think they shouldn’t be worrying about that.”
He is eligible to sign a five-year rookie extension starting this summer that is worth between 25 and 30 percent of the salary cap (a projected $157 million to $188 million in total). If he wanted to become an unrestricted free agent, Porzingis would have to play his fifth season with the Knicks on a qualifying offer, which would be for $7.5 million — significantly less annual money than he could earn via an extension.
Ian Begley: The Knicks picked up the 2018-19 team option on Kristaps Porzingis’ contract on Wednesday, per the Real GM transaction wire.
He’ll be the youngest player in the NBA Africa Game here Saturday, where he’ll look to do his part to spread goodwill. Even more important, he’s anxious to do the same next season with the Knicks. “So far it’s been tough in New York, but my journey is only beginning and I hope to stay there my whole career, so as a city we can have some fun and win some games and do something big,” he said. “For me, it’s now home.”
Kristaps Porzingis’ brother Janis Porzingis said the Knicks forward wishes to remain in New York but also wants the club to create an environment conducive to player development and winning. His brother made it clear that if traded, Porzingis intends to play out his contract and test free agency. “Kris wants to stay in New York; he feels at home there. There is no question about it. The only thing he wants is for the Knicks to create an environment where he can develop and grow as a player and win,” Janis Porzingis said in an interview with ESPN. “If he were traded, he would play out his contract and head into free agency, where he can choose his own destiny.”
Porzingis will be eligible to make 25 percent of the actual salary cap (as opposed to a previous artificial cap figure that’s lower). That starting max wage for Porzingis in 2019 is projected at $27.5 million, according to sources. In the old agreement, a fifth-year player next year would have started at a long-term max of $21 million.
July 1, 2022 | 2:47 am EDT Update
Bulls among the teams calling about Kevin Durant
When the two-time NBA Finals MVP made it known he wanted to be traded out of Brooklyn, expected business quickly fell by the wayside as teams tried to reposition themselves to at least make an offer. According to a source, the Bulls were a part of those phone calls, despite Durant reportedly having the Heat and Suns among his desired destinations — and despite the reality that the Bulls don’t have the type of high-profile player or quality of draft picks the Nets were looking for in a trade package.
Phoenix has the kinds of players who might make this a win-win for all involved — namely, Suns small forward Mikal Bridges and restricted free agent center DeAndre Ayton. In the days before Irving’s choice to opt-in, sources close to Ayton had raised this possibility of an Ayton-Bridges deal being very much on their radar. At that time, however, it was unclear whether Durant was going to ask out.
Nets want multiple All-Stars for Kevin Durant
I’m told the Nets want multiple All-Stars in any deal for Durant. I do not count Tyler Herro in that category, despite the year he’s had. So if you’re Miami, how do you acquire Durant?
Mike James: Must b another Mike James
Sources said the Bulls remain confident LaVine will agree to a contract of nearly $215 million — the most any team could offer — even as the two-time All-Star waits to hear all offers in the process.
Beck: I asked a well-connected NBA source which teams, other than the increasingly desperate Lakers, would be willing to acquire Irving. His answer: “None.” I think I agree. The league has seen Irving wreak a lot of havoc over the last five years, from Cleveland to Boston to Brooklyn. It’s left an impression. But the Lakers badly need another scorer/playmaker next to LeBron and AD, and Irving is an infinitely better fit than Russell Westbrook.
Sacramento continues to be mentioned in a potential John Collins trade with the Atlanta Hawks, but sources confirm that the Kings are trailing in that chase.
