Kristaps Porzingis is already the face of the New York Knicks. After trading Carmelo Anthony before the season started, the team sent a clear message that they are committed to rebuilding around the 22-year-old.

With the Latvian unicorn dubbed as the future of the franchise, it's no secret that the Knicks' priority is to keep him at Madison Square Garden for the long run.

As it turns out, however, doing so is easier said than done.

According to Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News, Porzingis isn't firm yet on signing an extension with the team, suggesting he wants to see the Knickerbockers take positive steps towards the right direction first.

“Yeah,” Porzingis said when asked if he still needs to see changes from the team before committing long term.

“Yeah. That's it,” he reiterated.

Next summer, Porzingis will be eligible for the designated rookie scale maximum extension, a deal which could pay him up to $148 million over five seasons – the same contract which Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins signed recently.

Nonetheless, with how things are going and the Knicks far from contention, it seems Porzingis' future in New York will remain in limbo.

This situation, however, is no longer surprising given that Porzingis' older brother, Janis, admitted previously that the Knicks forward wanted a place “where he can develop and grow as a player and win.”

The Knicks still have at least two seasons to prove to Kristaps Porzingis that he has a good future with them. Should they fail to reach an agreement with their star next summer, they can still sign him as a restricted free agent in 2019 — giving them plenty of time to get back to the drawing board and sell a new plan to him.