On the eve of the Finals against his former team, Kristaps Porzingis was adamant he holds “no ill will” about his tenure with the Dallas Mavericks.
During Porzingis’ time with the Mavericks, they had a pair of competitive first round exits against the Los Angeles Clippers. Porzingis tore his meniscus in the series in 2020 and had become more of a role player in 2021. The Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals in 2022 after trading him to the Washington Wizards at that year’s trade deadline.
“Not all of it was like not good,” Porzingis said. “We had some good moments. We had some decent moments, but overall it just didn’t work for both sides. It wasn’t perfect. But I would say everything — teammates, locker room — I know at that time there were some rumors that there was something in the locker room. It was never like that. It was all just noise at the end.
“It just wasn’t perfect for us playing together, and it didn’t work out. And that’s it. There’s no ill will, I don’t think from their side. For sure, [there is not] from my side. I don’t think there should be. It just didn’t work out, but I have nothing but love for Dallas and for my teammates and for everybody there.”
Porzingis has acknowledged it was initially difficult for him to play a secondary role behind Luka Doncic.
“I don’t know why it didn’t work out,” said Doncic, who has downplayed the discussion about friction in his relationship with Porzingis over the years. “We were still both young. We tried to make it work, but it just didn’t work. So we moved on.”