Kristaps Porzingis' brother, Janis, reportedly wanted bigger role with Knicks

Janis, who is also Porzingis' agent, clashed with Knicks management

2/6/2019, 5:09 AM
Mar 13, 2018; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks injured power forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) waves to the fans before a game against the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner
Mar 13, 2018; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks injured power forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) waves to the fans before a game against the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner

It has been almost a week since the Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks, yet more continues to come out about the details of his rocky relationship with the franchise. 

Per Marc Berman of The Post, Porzingis' brother/agent, Janis, wanted to have a bigger role with the Knicks, which included getting jobs within the organization for members of Porzingis' entourage. 

The Knicks had official positions for friends of Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire during their tenures in New York, but nothing was ever done for Janis' requests. 

It was more than just that, however. 

The issues between Janis and the Knicks stemmed back to 2016-17 when Phil Jackson was the team president and Kristaps blew off his exit meeting at the end of the season. 

Jackson, fearing bad vibes from Janis, wanted to trade Porzingis at the trade deadline in 2017 and could have gotten a package in return that included Devin Booker and would have resulted in Lauri Markkanen in the draft. 

Jackson publicly toyed with trading Porzingis at the 2017 draft, just weeks before he was eventually fired. 

Yet the problems persisted with Janis, who also wanted his brother to rehab at Real Madrid instead of the Hospital for Special Surgery. 

It was also Janis, who did not believe in the Knicks' future and provided a list of four teams -- the Nets, Clippers, Spurs and Raptors -- for Kristaps to be traded to before he was sent to the Mavericks. 

"Janis wanted the kingdom," a source told Berman. 

At Monday's press conference in Dallas, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle revealed he had a two-hour meeting with Janis and welcomed him as part of "our team" as they try to warm up to him. 

The Knicks, meanwhile, had no idea Janis would become this much of a problem and so influential toward Kristaps upon drafting him. 

One NBA source told Berman that Janis' ego has likely grown over the years but added the Knicks are at fault too. 

"You have to set boundaries," the source said. "But they allowed him everywhere and that created Janis knowing and seeing everything."

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