One of the NBA's most talented youngsters is on the move, as Kristaps Porzingis was traded from the New York Knicks to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday (NZ time).
The move came as a massive shock, sending players and fans into a frenzy, as the trade developed quickly through the day.
The 23-year-old Latvian met with Knicks management on Friday and left franchise officials with the impression that he wanted to be traded.
He expressed concerns on the state of the franchise and his future with the organisation.
Hours later, he was gone in a deal that will see Knicks receive Dennis Smith Jr, DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and a future first-round draft pick from Dallas, in return for the 2.21m (7ft 3in) Porzingis, who has been out for nearly a year with a knee injury.
"As is standard for this time of year, we were exploring various options on potential trades," Knicks general manager Scott Perry said in a statement on ESPN.
"Considering the uncertainty regarding Kristaps' free agent status and his request today to be traded, we made a trade that we are confident improves the franchise. We thank Kristaps, Tim, Courtney and Trey for their contributions and wish them all the best."
ESPN reports that the Knicks called New Orleans about a trade for disgruntled Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, but the Louisiana-based franchise was not interested in Porzingis.
The Knicks have struggled without Porzingis, who has been sidelined for nearly a year with an serious knee injury.
He recently worked out with a coach on the court for roughly 45 minutes. The workout included Porzingis shooting pull-up 3-pointers and dunking.
Porzingis was the fourth pick in the 2015 NBA draft and was averaging a career-best 22.7 points per game before his injury.
When he returns to the court, he'll likely form a deadly combination with rookie guard Luka Donic, who is the early favourite to be the NBA's Rookie of the Year.
Plenty more moves are expected in the NBA over the next week before the season's trade deadline next Friday.
Newshub.
