Kristaps Porzingis has made it clear that he enjoys playing with Carmelo Anthony. The sophomore doesn’t want the veteran to be traded.
If Phil Jackson was looking for a reason not to trade Carmelo Anthony, he might have just found one. Kristaps Porzingis doesn’t think he’d benefit from the move.
The future of the New York Knicks franchise spoke to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News on his thoughts about Anthony’s rumored departure.
“I think it would make life harder for me on the court (if Anthony was traded),” Porzingis told the Daily News. “He makes stuff easier for me.”
The data doesn’t back up the many NBA watchers (Jackson included) who insist that Anthony’s ball-stopping is holding Porzingis back. The two offensive stars score 105.4 points per 100 possessions when sharing the court together. For context, the Knicks average 104.7 points per 100 possessions.
The two offensive stars score 105.4 points per 100 possessions when sharing the court together. For context, the Knicks average 104.7 points per 100 possessions. The offense is better when those two share the court.
Porzingis broke out of his Jan. slump with 12 points in the fourth quarter in Wednesday night’s win against the Brooklyn Nets. Anthony watched the final period from the bench while the 21-year-old took over.
For Jackson and other Anthony detractors, Wednesday’s game added fuel to the fire. They might want Carmelo Anthony gone, but the heir apparent doesn’t. The game is easier for Kristaps Porzingis with his mentor around.
