Life is probably a little bit frustrating for Kristaps Porzingis right now.
He just lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second time in his two career postseason appearances. Health issues continually plague him. He didn't put up nearly the same numbers in this year's playoffs as he did the first time around, seeing his scoring and rebounding averages take a huge drop (23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds to 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds) between the two years of postseason action despite playing more minutes in the latter series. And while you could chalk it up to his performance, he reportedly feels as though it's more his role in the system that is holding him back.
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And the frustration may only go up from here if another report, this one courtesy of The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, turns out to be true.
"The trouble here is that the Dallas Mavericks are facing a challenge to make massive changes to the roster. Porzingis has two seasons left, plus a player option for a third year left on his contract, and teams don't want him if they try to trade him," O'Connor said. "Mark Cuban denied previous reports that the Mavericks shopped Porzingis, but at the least, league sources have told me interest in Porzingis is minimal.
"Teams are scared off by the money, the health and possibly his diminishing production, and because of the picks owed to the Knicks, Dallas can't deal another first-round pick until at least 2025. Not only that, aside from Jalen Brunson, Dallas's young players haven't shown much, so the team has limited trading power in terms of its draft picks and players."
Scared off by the money? What's so scary about $31.65 million for 2021-22, $33.83 million in 2022-23, and a player option consisting of $36.02 million for 2023-24? And the health? As Cris Collinsworth would say: now here's a guy who missed all of 2018-19 with a torn ACL and has missed a handful of games in the seasons since with various other lower body ailments. And a decrease in production? A -4.9 net plus-minus, the only negative figure in a season throughout KP's career, isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of improved play.
Although the Mavericks' season may have just come to an end, it seems as though some more drama may just be getting underway.
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