Kristaps Porzingis Wants To Stay With Knicks: ‘I Love New York’

Nov 17, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) and forward Carmelo Anthony (7) react against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the Hornets 102-94. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks have been in the headlines on a daily basis for all the wrong reasons lately. From Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony beef to James Dolan antics and now a seemingly unhappy Kristaps Porzingis.

The second-year phenom recently skipped his exit meeting with the Knicks brass due to his discontent with the franchise’s dysfunctional ways. Speculation started to run rampant about whether Porzingis wanted out of New York as a result, but it doesn’t seem to be the case as he told Marc Berman of the New York Post:

“Of course,” Porzingis told The Post at his luxury apartment complex in Manhattan, when asked if he wants to be a Knick next year. “I love New York. I love New York.”

Porzingis has the been the lone positive element for the Knicks over the past two seasons with the team actually getting something right in the NBA Draft. Jackson and company took Porzingis with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and despite being heavily criticized for the move at the time, it turned out to be the right decision.

The Latvian big man has a bright future in the NBA as he’s blossomed into arguably one of the best frontcourt players in the league in two years. Porzingis has a long way to go before he is mentioned in the same breath as Dirk Nowitzki or Pau Gasol, but he is definitely being groomed to be the new face of the Knicks and hearing he wants to stay in New York has to be music to Jackson’s ears.