Kristaps Porzingis: It's Been Tough In New York, But My Journey Is Beginning

Kristaps Porzingis discussed the state of the New York Knicks for the first time since Phil Jackson's firing.

Kristaps Porzingis opened up about the state of the New York Knicks just weeks after his name was the subject of many trade rumors while Phil Jackson was still the president of the organization, he tells NBA.com.

Porzingis displayed his unhappiness with the Knicks' struggles last season by skipping his exit meeting with Jackson. Instead, he traveled back home to Latvia to rest and train before heading to Johannesburg for the upcoming NBA Africa Game.

“So far it’s been tough in New York, but my journey is only beginning and I hope to stay there my whole career, so as a city we can have some fun and win some games and do something big,” Porzingis said. "For me, it’s now home.”

“We’re going to have a lot of new guys,” he added. “Every year is almost like a new year. There will be a lot of changes. I’m going into the season hoping we have a group of guys who want to work hard and win. That’s what’s important.”

• Beyonce and the Best Prospective NBA Owners, Ranked

The Knicks fired Jackson and hired Scott Perry. Porzingis says that he is now in communication with team officials. The current trade buzz on the team surrounds forward Carmelo Anthony and his communication with Perry. New York appears to want to build a core of stars around Porzingis.

Porzingis finished his second season with the Knicks and is averaging 16.1 points and 7.3 rebounds over his career.