Report: Knicks believe Porzingis prefers trade

Kristaps Porzingis left the New York Knicks with the impression that he prefers to be traded after a Thursday meeting with management, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.

Earlier reports suggested Porzingis and the Knicks' brass met to discuss concerns he had with the direction of the organization.

That uncertainty has been the focus of other teams that are wondering if Porzingis could become available at some point.

Porzingis has not played in 2018-19 as he continues to recover from an ACL injury suffered last season. He won't be re-evaluated until mid-February and it's possible he will miss the entire campaign.

The Knicks have dropped to the bottom of the league standings due in part to the absence of their franchise player. It's reportedly not the first time Porzingis has raised concerns about the trajectory of the organization, which hasn't qualified for the postseason since 2012-13.

The 23-year-old can become a restricted free agent this summer, meaning the Knicks can match any offer he receives from another team. However, if he doesn't sign the standard five-year designated max contract extension, it could signal his desire to leave as it would make him an unrestricted free agent in 2020.

New York is expected to have enough salary cap room for another max player slot this summer, with some rumors suggesting Kevin Durant could consider relocating to Gotham.