By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Knicks decided to cut loose the face of their franchise, but according to the management, this was a result of Porzingis’ wishes.
“We feel like we did the right thing,” Knicks president Steve Mills said in a conference call. “When you try to think about how you want to build your team for the long term, you don’t want to commit a max [contract] to a player who clearly says to you he doesn’t want to be here. That would be a disservice for our organization and disservice to our fans.”
The Knicks tried to enter the Antony Davis talks, but nobody knew if Porzingis was willing to play and commit to New Orleans. And Mills added that Porzingis, a restricted free agent this summer, informed him and general manager Scott Perry that he “no longer wanted to be a part of our group” during a Thursday morning meeting.
“When the meeting occurred this morning, we’d already been having many conversations with a number of teams,” Perry said. “So we decided to act upon one.”
The move leaves New York with more than $70 million in cap space for the summer of 2019, enough room to add two max free agents.
“We’re going to be prudent in how we use that room because we’re still consistent in building this team through the draft and with young players,” Mills said. “And when there is an opportunity, to add a free agent, that certainly is one of the tools that we have in our toolbox.”