12-02-2019, 10:39 AM
When [b]Kristaps Porzingis[/b] was traded to the Mavericks last season, he was joined by [b]Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee [/b]and [b]Trey Burke [/b]on the move to Dallas.
Nearly a year later, what precipitated to the deal is still somewhat of a mystery. There was a meeting between Porzingis and the Knicks' front office[b] [/b]about the direction of the team, and just two days later, the Latvian native was out the door. People have said that Porzingis was so unhappy, he demanded the trade himself.
But Burke -- now with the 76ers and who was back at Madison Square Garden on Friday for the first time since the trade -- shed a new light on the days leading up to Porzingis' departure.
"I don't think he was happy at the time,'' Burke told The Post on Friday. "But I do think he wanted to stay. I think something happened at the meeting. I don't know everything. Going into the meeting, KP had one type of understanding. After the meeting, there was a 180.
"I know once Knicks management and KP had that meeting, KP was out of New York because of what was said. I think he went into the meeting hoping, like, 'OK, what's the plan for next year?' And something went wrong in that meeting and it just blew up. And that was the end of Porzingis."
Burke is the first player to speak publicly about the trade. Porzingis returned to New York for the first time as a visiting player earlier in the season, but didn't have much to say on the subject.
"I'll let [Porzingis] tell his own story,'' Burke said. "I know he still has some stuff to get off his chest.''
But the point guard did provide a bit of a look into what Porzingis may be feeling since his departure from the Knicks.
"One thing he did say, a lot of things the press said, he felt like wasn't true,'' Burke said. "He feels like there was a narrative that got out about him, he couldn't defend himself. I don't know if [Dallas] told him not to talk that much, but he wasn't talking. I do think he has his side.''
http://www.sny.tv/knicks/news/former-kni.../312031902
Nearly a year later, what precipitated to the deal is still somewhat of a mystery. There was a meeting between Porzingis and the Knicks' front office[b] [/b]about the direction of the team, and just two days later, the Latvian native was out the door. People have said that Porzingis was so unhappy, he demanded the trade himself.
But Burke -- now with the 76ers and who was back at Madison Square Garden on Friday for the first time since the trade -- shed a new light on the days leading up to Porzingis' departure.
"I don't think he was happy at the time,'' Burke told The Post on Friday. "But I do think he wanted to stay. I think something happened at the meeting. I don't know everything. Going into the meeting, KP had one type of understanding. After the meeting, there was a 180.
"I know once Knicks management and KP had that meeting, KP was out of New York because of what was said. I think he went into the meeting hoping, like, 'OK, what's the plan for next year?' And something went wrong in that meeting and it just blew up. And that was the end of Porzingis."
Burke is the first player to speak publicly about the trade. Porzingis returned to New York for the first time as a visiting player earlier in the season, but didn't have much to say on the subject.
"I'll let [Porzingis] tell his own story,'' Burke said. "I know he still has some stuff to get off his chest.''
But the point guard did provide a bit of a look into what Porzingis may be feeling since his departure from the Knicks.
"One thing he did say, a lot of things the press said, he felt like wasn't true,'' Burke said. "He feels like there was a narrative that got out about him, he couldn't defend himself. I don't know if [Dallas] told him not to talk that much, but he wasn't talking. I do think he has his side.''
http://www.sny.tv/knicks/news/former-kni.../312031902
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