It’s safe to say Kristaps Porzingis made some waves in the basketball world Thursday.
After reportedly meeting with New York Knicks brass to voice concern about the direction of the team, he later was traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
Of course, Porzingis hasn’t played since Feb. 6, 2018, when he tore his ACL. He was set to be reevaluated in mid-February, so a return to action isn’t imminent for him.
While it’s unclear what kind of commitment Porzingis will make to the Mavericks long term, ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski shed some light on what the 23-year-old’s plan is for this season and beyond.
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.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 31, 2019
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Porzingis plans to sign a qualifying offer from Dallas this offseason, meaning the Mavs will be able to match any offer he receives in free agency.
The next few months will be big for the Mavs, as they’ll have to woo Porzingis to stick around for the long haul and help shape the post-Dirk Nowitzki era alongside Luka Doncic.