In case you need another reminder that time flies, it’s been nearly three years since Kristaps Porzingis was traded to the Mavericks.

Picked fourth in the draft by the Knicks in 2015, Porzingis’s time in New York had its fair share of ups and downs. After winning an NBA All-Star Game selection in January 2018, Porzingis injured his anterior cruciate ligament on February 6, 2018.

It would be the last time she dressed for New York.

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On January 31, 2019, the Knicks traded Porzingis to the Mavericks as part of a large seven-player deal. While Porzingis won’t be speaking when the Mavericks visit the Knicks on Wednesday, there’s no better time to review the trade itself.

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Mavericks-Knicks Business Details

  • The rebels receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Courtney Lee
  • The Knicks receive: DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith Jr., 2023 first-round draft pick, 2023 first-round draft pick (top 10 protected)

Why did the Knicks trade Kristaps Porzingis?

According to an ESPN report from January 2019, Porzingis gave franchise officials the impression that he wanted to be traded in a meeting that reportedly lasted less than five minutes.

Steve Mills, who was the president of the Knicks at the time, said that “we started to get an idea, we could see that he wasn’t completely convinced of what we were trying to do. And again, [during Thursday’s meeting] We wanted confirmation from him if he was completely in or out. He made it clear to us when he came to meet us that he no longer wanted to be part of our group. “

The Knicks also welcomed two players with expiring contracts in Jordan ($ 22.9 million) and ($ 18.6 million), freeing up nearly $ 71 million of cap space ahead of a summer in which players like Kevin Durant , Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard were imminent free agents.

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Why did the Mavericks trade for Kristaps Porzingis?

After acquiring Luka Doncic in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Mavericks were looking for a player to complement their rising star.

Porzingis was reported to have a good relationship with Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic and Dirk Nowitzki, who would eventually retire at the end of the 2018-19 season. On the night of the trade, Porzingis took to Twitter to share a GIF of a moment shared between him and Doncic earlier in the season.

Separating from Smith was a corresponding move, as reports also indicated that the 2017 lottery pick was frustrated by playing outside of Doncic.

The verdict

It’s been two full seasons since the deal was made and the Mavericks have made two postseason appearances against one of the Knicks.

When healthy, Porzingis has been impressive for the Mavericks, averaging 20.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in his first 126 games with the team. Durability has been a bit of an issue, as he missed half of the Mavs’ first-round series with the LA Clippers in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.

In addition to Porzingis, Hardaway has been a critical part of what the Mavericks do, averaging 15.8 points and shooting 37.7 percent from 3-pointers over three and a half seasons. Hardaway was rewarded with a $ 75 million four-year contract in the 2023 offseason.

After a brief stint in Philadelphia, Burke returned to the Mavericks in the 2020 NBA restart and has remained with the team ever since. The Mavs resigned Lee in December 2020.

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On the Knicks side, Jordan walked as a free agent and Matthews was bought before the end of the 2018-19 season. Smith remained with the team for the 2019-20 season before being traded to the Pistons in the 2020-21 season.

With the Mavericks qualifying for the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Knicks received the 21st pick in the draft, which was traded to the LA Clippers.

New York’s biggest gain from this trade was cap space, which it has used to sign a number of free agents, most notably Julius Randle, who was selected for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.

Given the Mavericks’ two playoff appearances and the fact that technically three players acquired in the deal remain with the team, a three-year hindsight places them as the winner of the deal.