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with the decision and says he doesn’t understand why the Knicks would cut ties with a talented coach who has since joined the Atlanta Hawks.
“I don’t try to analyze that situation,” Porzingis said. “I don’t want to take it personal. I wish Josh the best. Maybe we can work together in the future.
“I don’t know the reason behind (letting him go). It wasn’t in my hands, but I’m thankful for Josh. He put a lot into it. He’s a great professional. It sucks.”
A few weeks after Jackson decided not to re-sign Longstaff, the Knicks fired the eccentric team president, whose best transaction was drafting Porzingis fourth overall in 2015. Soon after Jackson was let go, Porzingis texted his old boss, thanking the Hall of Fame coach for drafting him “and being there for me as I grew as a player.”
Porzingis said the news of Jackson’s dismissal and the ensuing Carmelo trade surprised him even though Anthony, who was at odds with Jackson and was looking to leave New York, had been linked to trades for two months.
“Carmelo was a mentor to me,” Porzingis said. “He was a big brother from day one. I texted him to tell him I appreciated that I was able to learn from him. Having him around was important for me. I respect him a lot. I also told him that if he doesn’t bring his Rolls Royce with him, I’ll take care of it.” he future is now for Porzingis, who in entering his third season. The Knicks’ plan, both on and off the court, will be built around a player who will deal with the pressure and responsibility of being the club’s franchise player. That means improving as a two-way player, especially on the defensive end. It also means staying healthy. In his first two seasons, Porzingis has missed 26 of 164 games.
“I felt great at the Euro Championships,” he said. “I took a little time off, but I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life. As soon as we get together in training camp, we’ll see what we’re capable of doing. We have a young team, but if we can come together we can do some things.”
The new face of the Knicks reiterated that “my dream is to be here my whole career,” but Porzingis is also realistic considering the history of the franchise that is mired in losing and dysfunction.
“You never know what can happen,” he said.
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