Both on the court and in the offseason, the NBA is dominated by its stars more than any professional league.
Stars give a team relevance and a chance to win every season. The stars themselves are aware of this fact and can exert more control over their own futures.
The Knicks have their franchise cornerstone in Kristaps Porzingis and are looking to build around him. But as the league has seen the likes of Kyrie Irving, Paul George and now Kawhi Leonard become disgruntled and ask for a trade, there is rational fear that Porzingis could go down that path one day.
Since being drafted No. 4 overall by the team in 2015, the Knicks have not eclipsed 32 wins in a season. Porzingis has played under two head coaches and will play for a third whenever he returns from his ACL injury.
To put it lightly, the Knicks have not been a pillar of winning and professionalism since the Latvian arrived in New York.
President Steve Mills, however, is not concerned about Porzingis' future.
"No," Mills said, when asked if he was worried that Porzingis might ask for a trade by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. "We've worked really hard in rebuilding the relationship with KP. For Scott and me, it's been with his brother [Janis Porzingis]. We had to make Janis, who is his agent and his brother, make him feel like he was part of our group and let him understand what we're doing as a team, where we're taking this thing."
Mills goes as far as to say that he feels Porzingis 'feels good' about the franchise's current trajectory.
"We communicate with KP all the time," Mills said. "And we know he feels good about directionally where we're going. I think you can see that through some of his tweets and social media stuff, and our conversations with him. He's back on board with where we're going and we feel really good about his future with us."