The San Antonio Spurs have developed “significant interest” in the New York Knicks' sharpshooting big man Kristaps Porzingis, according to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.
Despite having a difficult path to sign him as a free agent, the Spurs could look to clear enough cap space to make the restricted free agent an offer, but it would be much less than what the home team has in store for the summer.
Kristaps Porzingis wants a max contract, but the Knicks are likely to use the same injury permutations that the Philadelphia 76ers used on Joel Embiid, making it an incentive-based deal that hinges on how much he's able to play.
Here is where that gets tricky: Porzingis already has had a run-in with the front office from the time former president Phil Jackson aired out the dirty laundry on Carmelo Anthony during an exit media session, causing him to blow off his interview and spent the entirety of the summer in Europe following the end of the 2016-17 season.
Porzingis has reportedly eased back into being civil with the new front office of Steve Mills and Scott Perry, but the trust factor isn't fully there yet. Offering an incentive-heavy max contract could be what irks Porzingis and his associates, opening up a chance for other teams to pitch an offer for the 7-foot-3 big man.
The Latvian international comes with an unprecedented injury risk, given that his torn ACL is too much of a wild card for doctors to anticipate at 7-foot-3 and 240 pounds, a rare combination.
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