NBA: Porzingis: Tanking? Not healthy to think about it.

Like many other teams, the New York Knicks are on the eve of the Trade Deadline on 8 March. February before deciding in which direction to go: playoff races or rebuild? Kristaps Porzingis made a clear statement on Monday.

“Playoff experience would be very important to me, the sooner the better,”said the All-Star,”and that goes for most of us too, because many of us haven’t experienced any playoffs yet. So personally, I’d love to play in the playoffs, but we’ll see what happens and how we can end the season.”

The Knicks are currently on a 22-28 record, making them four games behind the eighth-placed Sixers. After a good start into the season, 14 of the last 19 games were lost. Other teams are reported to have asked for help from Willy Hernangomez, Kyle O’ Quinn, Enes Kanter, Lance Thomas and Courtney Lee, ESPN reports.

But Porzingis did not want to tell the front office:”I think they know that I want to go to the playoffs and that I have nothing else in mind. I don’t go there and say we’ll fill up the tank, there’s no need to play,”says Porzingis.”The playoffs are the only thing I concentrate on.”

Asked if he would also accept arguments for the rebuild, Porzingis replied,”I think it’s unhealthy for a player to think of such things.”