As if the New York Knicks trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday weren’t surprising enough, there may be other shockers accompanying the deal.
Reporter Shams Charania said that Porzingis was considering signing a qualifying offer with the Mavericks after the season.
Sources: All-Star Kristaps Porzingis is planning to inform the Dallas Mavericks his intent is to sign the qualifying offer in restricted free agency this summer.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 31, 2019
Signing a qualifying offer would limit the amount of guaranteed money he could sign for over the summer, though it would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent after that. It wouldn’t make much sense for the Mavericks to trade away so much, take on the Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee contracts, only to get a guy who would play for them for one season. That’s why a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski saying Porzingis is undecided about his future makes more sense.
Kristaps Porzingis, who can become a restricted free agent this summer, has yet to make a decision on his future with Dallas, league sources tell ESPN. He expects to start the process of getting to know the organization soon. Porzingis will continue to rehab his ACL injury.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 31, 2019
Porzingis taking a qualifying offer next year in order to become an unrestricted free agent after that would be risky. He’s coming off a torn ACL and knows how quickly his career could be gone. If he has the chance to sign for major money this summer, which he probably would if he signs an offer sheet with another team, that would be hard to turn down.
