Kristaps Porzingis Return Timetable: Injury News, Updates, Rumors, History
All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis has not played in an NBA game since Feb. 6, 2018 when he tore his left ACL in a contest against the Bucks.
After a dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Porzingis fell on Antetokounmpo's leg, thus ending his 2017-18 season. It was Porzingis's third season in the league and his first year being selected as an All-Star, even though he didn't get to play in the All-Star Game.
However, it wasn't the first time an injury cut one of Porzingis's seasons short.
On Thursday, Jan. 31 the New York Knicks traded Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks. Going into the 2018-19 season, Porzingis was not expected to take the court, and there is still no official timetable for his return.
Check out a timeline of Porzingis's injury and transaction history as he still works toward his return to game action.
• Jan. 31, 2019 — The Knicks trade Porzingis to the Mavericks. He reportedly tells the Mavericks he will sign the qualifying offer so he will be under contract for the 2019-20 season and can become a free agent in 2020.
• Jan. 12, 2019 — Porzingis looks good in an individual workout, but there is still no timetable for a return. He is still scheduled to be re-evaluated in mid-February. (Howie Kussoy, New York Post)
• Dec. 21, 2018 — Knicks announce Porzingis's "knee is healing well, and he has made good progress with rehabilitation." He is scheduled to be re-evaluated in mid-February. (Official)
• Nov. 13-18, 2018 — Porzingis tells GQ he is "already doing some contact drills, and things where I'm competing against somebody." Knicks coach David Fizdale clarified that Porzingis had not done any contact drills with the team and any sort of contact work was "just in the rehab sessions, in the treatment sessions." (Steve Popper, Newsday)
• Oct. 15, 2018 — The Knicks fail to reach an agreement with Porzingis on a rookie contract extension by the deadline for such deals. Porzingis is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2019. When the 2019 offseason comes, he can either sign a qualifying offer to play one season then become a free agent in the 2020 offseason; he can sign an offer sheet with another team while a restricted free agent allowing whatever team he is currently on to match and bring him back or he can not sign the qualifying offer and negotiate a long-term deal with the team he is on.
• July 30, 2018 — Porzingis says he's "healing really fast" and "jumping a little." (Marc Berman, New York Post)
• July 25, 2018 — Porzingis explains he's rehabbing in Madrid because the facilities are "one of the best in the world, if not the best." (Players' Tribune)
• July 6, 2018 — Dr. David Altchek, the surgeon who performed on Porzingis's knee, said Porzingis's ACL tear was "the best prognosis" because there was no cartilage or ligament damage. (Official)
• April 16, 2018 — Porzingis says the swelling in his elbow that bothered him during the 2017-18 season is healed and he won't need surgery. (Ian Begley, ESPN.com)
• Feb. 13, 2018 — Porzingis has surgery on his torn left ACL. (Official)
• Feb. 6, 2018 — Porzingis tears his left ACL.
• 2017-18 season — Porzingis plays in 48 games and misses seven prior to the ACL injury. A left knee injury, illness and lower back tightness kept him out of his contests.
• April 14, 2017 — Porzingis skips his exit interview with the Knicks following the 2016-17 season because of frustration over the drama surrounding the team. (Ian Begley, ESPN.com)
• 2016-17 season — Porzingis misses 16 games over the course of the year due to back, thigh, ankle, elbow, Achilles and knee injuries.
• Jan. 25, 2017 — Prozingis says he's playing with swelling in his shooting elbow. (Stefan Bondy, New York Daily News)
