GREENBURGH, N.Y. _ Kristaps Porzingis' time in a New York Knicks uniform is ending.
Shortly after Porzingis met with the team's front office to express his concerns about the team's future, the Knicks agreed to trade Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr. and the expiring contracts of DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews.
The Knicks are also sending Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr. in the trade, a significant move that will allow them to free up salary cap space this summer.
By trading both contracts, the Knicks would put themselves in position to offer two max contracts.
The free agency class will likely include Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Kemba Walker and perhaps Kyrie Irving if he chooses not to re-sign with the Boston Celtics despite his pre-season commitment to remain with the team.
Regardless, the future of the Knicks underwent a monumental shift on Thursday.
The Knicks have considered Porzingis a part of their future with the hope that their young talent, like Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson, as well as a future lottery pick and a potential free-agent signing this summer, they could achieve success in the future.
But Porzingis is no longer a part of that future.
The forward is recovering from a torn ACL, which he suffered nearly one year ago. He was scheduled to undergo another evaluation in February to get a better estimation of when he could play again.
When he does, it won't be with the Knicks.
The Knicks drafted him with the fourth overall pick in 2015. Porzingis averaged 17.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game over two-and-a-half seasons, including an all-star selection last year.
