Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry woke up to the hardest job in sports Wednesday. Kristaps Porzingis has a torn ACL, imperiling the franchise’s future, perhaps wasting a full year of progress. So much of this rebuild was based on the lanky 7-foot-3 Latvian turning into a superstar and getting stronger this summer with a massive workout plan they could finally supervise.
The only glimmer of hope is the medical staff calls the 22-year-old Porzingis “The Lizard” because he’s a fast healer.
Their plan of building around Porzingis is expected to still be intact — even if his ACL is not. Let’s face it: Do they really have a choice? But the plan is now muddied with his lengthy and uncertain timetable and the trade deadline a day away.
Here are four vital questions:
1. How does this affect the trade deadline?
The Knicks are trying to stockpile draft picks to potentially put into another deal — which was behind Wednesday’s trade of Willy Hernangomez to Charlotte for two future second-rounders. So why not trade Kyle O’Quinn for another second-round pick or two? Nearly the entire roster is potential trade pawns for the future. But for O’Quinn, they’d be better off getting back a 25-or-younger guy with potential. Moving Courtney Lee’s long-term deal for any asset would be a boon, but the Knicks will have other chances. Would Lee even want to be here now?
The entire blueprint was to build around Porzingis and surround him with the right pieces. Hence, the desire to add an athletic penetrating point guard such as Orlando’s Elfrid Payton and an athletic, shot-blocking defensive center in Magic teammate Bismack Biyombo. The other goals were to see if they could net future assets for Hernangomez and get rid of Joakim Noah’s pact.
With Porzingis out anywhere from seven to 12 months, perhaps extending into the midpoint of next season, the Knicks could mend fences with Noah, a supportive friend of Porzingis. The goal was to see if they can get more athletic at the trade deadline.
2. What does this do for Porzingis’ summer contract extension?
The Knicks now own the leverage completely. Porzingis, as he rehabs from an injury that sometimes robs players of their athleticism, will have to accept the Knicks’ extension this summer if they put $154 million on the table to add to his final rookie deal of $5 million. He can’t wait. Do the Knicks want to wait until he’s a restricted free agent and see how well he returns? Perry declined to comment on that Wednesday. Former Knicks president Phil Jackson would probably hold off — he was concerned about Porzingis’ durability — but Mills and Perry won’t take any chances in hurting feelings. They’ve mended the sour relationship between team management and brother/agent Janis Porzingis. Plus, Porzingis’ trade value won’t be nearly what it was last June.
3. Why is the timetable so varied for ACL tears?
Porzingis’ return will be better known after he undergoes surgery in the coming week. Jabari Parker and Zach LaVine each returned after 12 months of being sidelined. But Parker was rehabbing from a second ACL tear because the first surgery didn’t work. Porzingis has age on his side.
Dr. Armin Tehrany, a knee specialist and founder of Manhattan Orthopedic Care, told The Post in an email Wednesday morning: “Every individual player recovers at a different speed depending on the severity of the injury. Research has shown that sending the player back too early can increase the chance of failure. That Porzingis is only 22 years old, his young age will definitely help him recover better and faster than an older player.”
4. How will this affect Jeff Hornacek’s future, as it makes it tougher to judge him?
Perry said Hornacek is not going anywhere this season. Mills and Perry got a good taste of Hornacek in the pre-All-Star break section of the schedule, and the sense is they probably move on with their own guy after his year-end evaluation. The defense hasn’t progressed enough — and neither has rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina. Porzingis also faded after an MVP start. But Hornacek has a chance to show what kind of leader he is by moving past this devastation, guiding his team to a strong finish and seeing some younger guys develop.