Danny Ainge smells blood in the water, and with Phil Jackson looking forward to making the Knicks more of a mess, the Celtics top exec would like to help.
With Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis reportedly available on the trade market, the Boston Celtics are among the teams interested in acquiring the star power forward reports Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Now that trade season is in full swing ahead of the draft, the Knicks have been flooded with interest in their star, sources confirmed. And according to a source, the Celtics are among those teams.
It has reached the point that New York is already planning for a future without the Latvian, according to The Vertical, which reported Jackson met Monday with a potential replacement in Lauri Markkanen.
Markkanen, a 7-footer from Finland, is a projected lottery draft pick who plays the same position as Porzingis. The Knicks draft eighth on Thursday.
The Celtics have several first-round picks including the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft, which the Knicks could reportedly use to take former Kansas star Josh Jackson or Duke star Jayson Tatum.
Porgzingis averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, two blocks, and 1.5 assists on 45 percent shooting with the Knicks last season.
