NY Knicks Fans Melt Down After Team Trades Star Kristaps Porzingis: ‘The Fyre Festival’ of Sports Teams

The New York Knicks have not won an NBA championship since 1973. They’ve only won one playoff series since 2001. And on Thursday, they traded away their cornerstone, 23-year-old franchise player in exchange for…not a whole lot — triggering a wave of outrage from fans of the downtrodden club.

In a trade that rocked the NBA, the Knicks sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in a blockbuster trade. A rundown of the players and draft picks involved in the deal is below:

Official #Mavs–#Knicks trade:

Dallas gets:
Kristaps Porzingis
Trey Burke
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Courtney Lee

New York gets:
Dennis Smith, Jr.
Wesley Matthews
DeAndre Jordan
2 1st Round Draft Picks pic.twitter.com/7QJYP7yZDv

— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) January 31, 2019

None of the players the Knicks received are even remotely comparable to Porzingis — widely considered to be one of the best young stars in the league. Porzingis has missed the entire season rehabbing from an injury, but many believe when he returns in the fall, he will blossom into one of the league’s best.

So why would the Knicks make this deal? The team wanted Porzingis’s contract off the books to create the necessary salary cap room to sign two premier free agents from a star-studded class which includes; Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and other elite players.

But the trade relies heavily on the idea that the Knicks will ultimately land the players they want — specifically Durant. If the Knicks don’t land the top free agents, the deal will be an unmitigated disaster. Judging by the reactions, Knicks fans are expecting the worst. Here’s a sampling of the takes on the deal from fans, journalists, and others.

Kristaps: I want out

Knicks: OK.

Dallas: We’ll take him.

Knicks: Should we call other teams?…nah. Easier this way. Let’s get lunch.

— Jawn Gonzalez (@_JohnGonz) January 31, 2019

Imagine being an organization so inept, you trade an athletic, pure shooting, 7’3 defensive monster on his rookie deal, in exchange for cap space. Let that one sink in. @nyknicks #Knicks

— Max Kellerman (@maxkellerman) January 31, 2019

I see a lot of people saying Knicks had to do this because Porzingis wanted out. BS. Ewing wanted out in ‘91 and Riley convinced him to stay. You don’t get rid of someone like that at that age. A dark day.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 31, 2019

If this was shark tank Mark Cuban got 90% of your company for half of what you asked for @nyknicks pic.twitter.com/7ddarvLBaK

— Tony X. (@soIoucity) January 31, 2019

Knicks fans would be rioting in the streets right now, but it’s too damn cold, and all the torches would just go out immediately.

— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) January 31, 2019

yeah congrats terrific work

— Philip Bump (@pbump) January 31, 2019

i’m sorry the knicks did what now

— Caitlin Kelly (@caitlin__kelly) January 31, 2019

The New York Knicks aka the Fyre Festival of sport franchises

— Drew Beringer (@drewberinger) January 31, 2019

Stop. The Knicks are an embarrassment.

— Matt Ehalt (@MattEhalt) January 31, 2019

Yes. The Knicks sent everyone to Dallas for Tomi Lahren and a 25 gift card to Panera.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 31, 2019

[featured photo via Getty Images]

from Mediaite http://bit.ly/2Gf3N9s