Ahead of the 2019 trade deadline, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics discussed a trade centered on Kristaps Porzingis for Kyrie Irving, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Irving’s discontent with the Celtics was becoming apparent and he was strongly linked with an eventual paring with Kevin Durant.
Porzingis was set to enter restricted free agency and the Knicks were pivoting to a plan that they expected would include Durant and possibly Irving.
The Knicks instead traded Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in a deal that included two future first round picks. Porzingis signed a max deal with the Mavericks before playing in a single game, while Irving and Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets. After disappointing stints with their respective teams, Irving was eventually traded to the Mavericks in 2023, while Porzingis was traded to the Wizards in 2022 and then the Celtics in 2023.