NBA Rumors: Are The Knicks Open to Trading Kristaps Porzingis This Offseason?

The New York Knicks is the most dysfunctional franchise in the NBA at the moment. The team needs to make a lot of moves this offseason and one of them might be trading fan favorite and superstar-in-the-making, Kristaps Porzingis.

In a recent appearance on WFAN, Knicks beat writer Frank Isola speculated that the team president Phil Jackson is open to trading Kristaps Porzingis. He went even further by saying that the Knicks would want a top pick and a player for the 21-year-old Latvian, per Matt Boutwell of Maine's Big Z.

Kristaps Porzingis expressed his unhappiness with the Knicks franchise and Phil Jackson by blowing them off in the end-of-season interviews. He also made it known that he won't be spending his summer in New York and he will be in Latvia for a longer period this offseason.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Kristaps Porzingis is upset with the direction of the Knicks. He does not like the fact that Jackson wants Carmelo Anthony, who he considers his mentor, out of New York. He is also unhappy with the triangle offense because it has not worked in the past couple of seasons.

Trade rumors have already started to pop up regarding the future of Kristaps Porzingis with the Boston Celtics among his potential destinations. The Celtics own a top pick this year and in 2018 while also having several top young players like Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown.

Knicks fans surely won't be happy to hear that Kristaps Porzingis, the only remaining hope for the franchise, might get traded. The 21-year-old Latvian is the present and future of the Knicks and Jackson should be building talent around him.

Nevertheless, these are just purely speculative at the moment and should be taken with a grain of salt. However, Kristaps Porzingis continued to show his discontent with the Knicks by telling FIBA.com that he wants to play for the Latvian Basketball Team this summer.

"Yes. Absolutely. I would like to help the team get to the second round and have a great campaign," Porzingis said after getting asked if he wants to play for Latvia.