For someone who did not play a single game in the 2018-19 NBA season, Dallas Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis sure found a way to stay in the public eye.
Porzingis went through a rather ugly separation with the New York Knicks that ultimately led to him being traded to the Mavs at the beginning of February. At the end of March, a report surfaced that Porzingis had been accused of rape in New York, which he continues to deny.
And most recently, the 23-year-old was involved in an altercation at a club in his home country of Latvia. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Mavericks are now investigating the incident, with the initial understanding being that Porzingis was jumped:
The Mavericks are investigating All-Star Kristaps Porzingis’ altercation in Europe over weekend and current understanding is he was jumped at a club, assaulted and hit by objects, @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium has learned.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 12, 2019
While Porzingis was shown on the video with a cut on his face and a ripped shirt, he didn't suffer any serious injuries:
Porzingis did not suffer any significant injuries, according to source. https://t.co/bsH0N7tbd9
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 12, 2019
Based on these reports and TMZ's report on the incident, it appears Porzingis may have been jumped by a group of Russians angry that he switched teams. There will surely be more information to come on what exactly happened.
Even if Porzingis didn't instigate, this incident is yet another distraction from his hopes to return to the court fully healthy for next season. He has not played since Feb. 8, 2018, when he suffered what would turn out to be an ACL tear. Although Porzingis was cleared for full contact and participated in five-on-five scrimmages with the Mavs, the team decided to hold him out for the remainder of the season.
Porzingis was having the best season of his career prior to the injury. The former first-round selection was averaging 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks while shooting close to 40 percent from beyond the arc.
The Mavs are clearly getting a very talented player, but Porzingis is becoming as renowned for his off-court activities as his play on the floor. Although he appears to have been provoked in this case, it is a somewhat concerning trend that Dallas will undoubtedly monitor moving forward.
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