At 7-foot-3 and possessing a future brighter than a car’s high beams, Kristaps Porzingis is literally and figuratively the Knicks’ biggest building block moving forward. Wherever that path leads, Porzingis wants Carmelo Anthony beside him.
“Obviously, I wouldn’t want to lose him. He is who he is on our team, he’s very special, and we need him to do big things in the future, especially for me,” Porzingis said Thursday when the notion of Anthony possibly waiving his no-trade clause and leaving this summer arose. “I love playing alongside him, so that would obviously not be something that I want.”
Porzingis has spoken enthusiastically of his relationship with Anthony and what he has learned from the perennial All-Star while navigating the NBA rookie-season minefield.
This was no different.
After the Knicks prepared for Friday’s home game with Orlando, Porzingis praised Anthony’s positive vibe with teammates amid the muck that has enveloped the team. The Knicks, once 22-22, have lost 13 of 15 games and are 11 games below mediocre (24-35). Anthony’s frustration was publicly evident this week, but with teammates, he has been what they’ve needed, Porzingis said.
“He’s very professional. He knows what he’s doing. Obviously, we all know he’s frustrated, and we’re frustrated, but he’s not showing it,” Porzingis said. “Nobody’s showing it. We’re just staying together, staying strong, working hard. He’s doing a great job of showing how everybody needs to be. … Obviously, deep inside, you’re frustrated, but he’s not showing that, so I think he’s been a great leader.”
Porzingis took a big shot late in the 108-105 loss in Indiana on Wednesday. No regrets. Good shot. He just missed.
“I’m going to be able to be calm if I knew I made the right decision. If the shot goes in or not, that’s on me. Obviously, I’m going to feel bad about missing it, but I think I did everything right. I took the shot, I was confident, and it just didn’t go in,” Porzingis said. “If I made a decision or turned the ball over somewhere where it wasn’t necessary, then I would feel bad. But I think I did the right thing.”
Stuff happens — even happened to Anthony, who shot 5-of-20. Anthony has a pedigree, after all, one reason why, according to ESPN, the Celtics inquired at the trade deadline.
“It happens to everybody. It’s about how you can bounce back. A guy like him, I don’t think he’s had two really bad games in a row during this season or his whole career,” Porzingis said. “He always bounces back. … That’s the same mentality I want to have.”
Knicks higher-ups are grateful for Anthony’s guidance for the No. 4 overall draft pick.
“Carmelo is doing the right thing. He is being a mentor to a young guy,” interim coach Kurt Rambis said. “A lot of it is just Carmelo challenging him to be aggressive and confident on the floor. You got to allow this growth process to happen.”
So the daily ritual of teaching Porzingis when and how to do this or that usually has Anthony front and center.
“Melo has been great in terms of encouraging him to grow as a ballplayer, to blossom, to trust himself and be confident,” Rambis said. “Players having confidence on the floor is a huge part of their success.”
Porzingis admitted losing is as enjoyable as a cement milkshake, but he is confident of better times ahead. You must crawl before you walk, and you must get the stuffing kicked out of you before you win.
“It’s been pretty tough, but I believe all of this that we’re going through and me not playing well, having ups and downs … it’s all a big challenge to prepare us for something bigger in the future,” Porzingis said. “This is going to make us stronger mentally, so when we get to that moment where we can actually be a championship team, we’re ready for it.”
But will we see that in, say, our lifetimes?
“I believe that’s what we’re going to,” Porzingis said. “This is our first year together. … I think I’ll grow every year as a player. We’ll grow as a team. We have Carmelo to guide us, the young guys. And I believe we have a group in the future to be something special.”