One of the NBA’s biggest young stars is on the move, heading from the New York Knicks to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Knicks traded center Kristaps Porzingis, along with Courtney Lee, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Trey Burke, to the Dallas Mavericks. In exchange, they will receive Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, and two future first round draft picks.
Porzingis, who averaged 17.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game during three years as a Knick, requested a trade before the February 7 deadline. The 7 foot, 3 inch center is only 23 years old.
The young Latvian superstar had grown weary of the Knicks’ instability and lack of success.
Porzingis was named to his first NBA All Star team last February, but went down with a torn ACL immediately after. He has been sidelined for the past year, but hopes to return to play for Dallas before the end of the season.
In Dallas, Porzingis will join forces with another young phenom, Luka Doncic. Both Porzingis and Doncic hail from Europe and spent time playing professionally in Spain before making the leap to the NBA.
The Mavericks hope that Doncic and Porzingis will gel together to form one of the NBA’s most formidable frontcourt combinations.
