The New York Knicks have picked up their team option for the 2018-19 season on star forward Kristaps Porzingis.
Any day now New York Knicks fans are expecting to get the news of a Carmelo Anthony trade. Friday marked one more day in the books with Anthony on New York’s payroll. The news involved Anthony’s loyal friend Kristaps Porzingis, and it was far less shocking.According to Real GM, the Knicks exercised the fourth-year option on the unicorn’s rookie contract. No surprise there. Now that Phil Jackson isn’t around to trade Porzingis for Lonzo Ball, it was only a matter of time until the team picked up the option for the 2018-19 season.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks reports the financial details of the contract: $5.69M cap hit for the 4th year (2018-19); $1.7M (30% increase) based on the new CBA.
The unicorn is benefiting from being on a rookie contract in this new CBA with all the cash flowing in. Hopefully, this is a good start towards rebuilding a fractured relationship with the Knicks and Porzingis.
The new regime, led by Steve Mills and Scott Perry, appears to be committed to a youth movement and Porzingis will hopefully be featured for years to come along with Frank Ntilikina and Tim Hardaway Jr.