New York Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis is gearing up for next season and he already has the playoffs on his mind.
After missing the post season last year, he told reporters his goal is to help take the team back to the place of contention.
Obviously, the No. 1 goal is the playoffs this year. That's where my head is at. I can't be thinking nothing past that. Right now it's the playoffs.
The Knicks made a high-risk but high-reward trade this summer after missing the playoffs for the last three years. Derrick Rose is the biggest intrigue and the biggest question mark of the Knicks next season.
Rose remains an unknown because of his health, but Porzingis has seen him practice and is in his corner to succeed in New York.
How explosive he (Rose) is and everything, he's still got it. He's still Derrick Rose. And so it will be exciting to play with him. He draws so much attention when he's driving he's so dangerous that I'm going to be wide open and that's what I'm looking forward to. He's going to be creating for me and other teammates.
The only thing that matters for Rose is that his teammates believe in him, and he has one of the biggest supporters in Porzingis already.
Porzingis also doesn't think the team is in win-now mode, and he knows what the expectations are awaiting him in the Big Apple.
I know, [with] the team drafting me, they want me to grow and grow into a star, a superstar. So I believe that they're going to help me grow. And they know the type of guy that I am. When I have difficulties, I will not complain….
If we're winning, that's all that matters to me. If we're winning, I'll be happy. And that can help me grow.
Last season helped me grow because we lost, and that's a lot to take mentally. But as long as we're winning and I'm playing hard and with intensity — and I have the right mindset — then we'll be fine.
The team will have high expectations this coming season, and, contrary to what Kristaps Porzingis may think, they are in win-now mode, well sort of, with Carmelo Anthony not getting any younger.
The team won't leverage its future on today, but they are, at least on paper, improving into what the city has been missing, which is being a contender.
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