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, as well as two future-first-round picks.
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 in July.
By trading both contracts, the Knicks would put themselves in position to offer two max contracts.
This summer's 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 preseason commitment to remain with the team.
The importance for the Knicks to succeed in free agency increased exponentially with Thursday's trade.
Whether or not the Knicks sign Irving, they could potentially have a point guard for their future in Smith.
The Mavs drafted Smith with the ninth overall pick in 2017, one spot after Frank Ntilikina. While Ntilikina had an up-and-down rookie season, Smith was a part of the Rookie of the Year conversation, leaving many fans to lament the Knicks' draft decision.
Smith has fallen off somewhat this season, averaging 12.9 points and 4.3 assists this season while shooting 44 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from the perimeter. He's also poor defensively.
With this trade, 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 with their young talent, like Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson, as well as this year's 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.
Porzingis hasn't always had a smooth relationship with the Knicks.
He skipped his exit meeting with former team president Phil Jackson following the 2016-17 season amid reports he wasn't happy with the team.
Then in November, he posted photos of him sprinting at a local track after coach David Fizdale told reporters that Porzingis hadn't progressed beyond light running.
While Fizdale, who visited Porzingis in Latvia last summer to establish a relationship, said the following day he and the forward smoothed things over, the friction between Porzingis and the team was still present.
It all culminated with Thursday's trade.
The future of the Knicks took on a much different, and even more uncertain, look.
The Knicks own an NBA-worst 10-40 record. Losses are going to continue to pile up this season.
Where they go from here remains to be seen.
