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Knicks president Steve Mills said Wednesday that Kristaps Porzingis threatened to return to Europe if the Knicks did not trade him within a week.
Mills described the conversation while speaking at a Knicks fan forum. He said Porzingis told him and general manager Steve Perry: "Guys, I don't want to be here, I'm not going to re-sign with the Knicks, and I'm going to give you seven days to trade me or I'm going back to Europe."
The Knicks, of course, granted Porzingis his wish, dealing him, Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., two future first-round picks and the expiring contracts of center DeAndre Jordan and swingman Wesley Matthews.
Mills and Perry moved Porzingis just hours after reports surfaced saying Porzingis had voiced his frustration about the direction of the franchise to the executives. But Mills explained that they had started looking into potential trades for Porzingis as early as September. Those conversations allowed them to quickly make a trade.
In other Porzingis news, the Dallas Mavericks have reportedly concluded their investigation into a fight involving the All-Star power forward earlier this month outside a nightclub in his native Latvia. The team has chalked up the incident to Porzingis being "in the wrong place at the wrong time," The Dallas Morning News reported Thursday.
Porzingis, 23, has not played in an NBA games since tearing a ligament in his left knee in what turned out to be his final game for the Knicks in February 2018.