FIZ HUDDLE HAS KP JACKED UP
Porzingis ‘excited’ after initial convo with Fizdale
It doesn’t seem Kristaps Porzingis is holding a Marc Gasol-like grudge.
In breaking his silence since the Knicks hired David Fizdale, Porzingis on Thursday tweeted from Europe that he finally has spoken to the new coach — and had ultrapositive reviews.
“Just had a great conversation on the phone with Coach Fiz. Man im excited!!!!! Lets gooo!!!” Porzingis tweeted.
Of course, when Porzingis will be able to go is uncertain because of his rehab following surgery for an ACL tear, but his relationship with Fizdale will be vital and under the microscope.
Porzingis’ failure to acknowledge Fizdale’s hiring via social media appeared a troubling sign, but no longer. Fizdale was fired last November after a feud with another All-Star European in Gasol, who is from Spain. Fizdale reportedly diminished Gasol’s European accomplishments.
Porzingis, as first reported by The Post, is doing a large part of his ACL rehab in Spain, using the facilities of soccer’s Real Madrid team along with his own people. Porzingis, who played basketball in the Spanish League, is also best friends with Willy Hernangomez, who is close to the Gasol brothers.
Porzingis has seemed on the fence about the Knicks’ vision ever since Jeff Hornacek became head coach. Multiple sources indicate they weren’t close, and The Post reported Porzingis once used the Fword against Hornacek during a practice.
Porzingis has the potential for a $157 million contract extension this summer, but indications are Knicks management may wait until he becomes a 2019 restricted free agent. That decision would give them more cap space in 2019 under salary-cap bylaws while ensuring the 7-foot-3 unicorn’s longterm health is not an issue.
Knicks president Steve Mills retweeted Porzingis’ comments about Fizdale.
As it stands, Porzingis, 22, could be back by Christmas — or not at all next season.
Fizdale sees this as a clean slate, and said at the draft combine he would make multiple visits to see Porzingis in Europe this summer. It’s believed Fizdale will travel to Latvia before the June 21 draft, as he said at his introductory press conference May 8.
“The plane’s warming up right now,” Fizdale said then.
“I won’t skip a step,” Fizdale said at the Chicago draft combine on the ESPN telecast. “I’ll spend a ton of time with he and his family. I want to hear their experience and what they see going forward for Kristaps, and how I can interject and help him in any way become what I think he can be, which is an MVP-caliber player.”
Later, with beat reporters, Fizdale said, “I want him to feel something different. I want him to feel something that when he comes back here, it’s going to be special for him.”
Porzingis received one vote for one of the three All-NBA teams announced Thursday, but durability and coachability may stand as the two barriers to superstardom for him. Porzingis missed 60 games in his first three seasons — and now will miss more.
Porzingis also was known not to embrace the coaching of Kurt Rambis, who was both an interim head coach and Hornacek’s top assistant.
At his rather melancholy end-of-season meeting with reporters, Porzingis said he was OK with not being consulted on the coaching search.
“There are some qualities that you like in one coach [more] than you like in others,” Porzinigis said at the meeting. “But it’s not in my hands right now. It’s the management, whatever decision they make. Then we’ll see who the coach is and we’ll go from there. That’s it.’’
When asked about management’s new emphasis on patient rebuilding, Porzingis said: “I’m an impatient individual in life, small things also. But I know one thing I’m going to have to be patient with the knee. … All that’s on my mind right now is my knee. I’ll start thinking about it when I’m healthy.”