National Basketball Association

New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis Asked Lance Thomas To Re-Sign

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Kristaps Porzingis has revealed that he asked 2016 free agent Lance Thomas to return to the New York Knicks. Thomas responded by signing a four-year deal.

The arrival of training camp has placed a sweat-inducing spotlight on the 2016-17 New York Knicks. Every potential strength is being discussed and every flaw is soon to surface in some capacity.

Though the stars are garnering the most attention, it’s one of the role players who could be the glue to this aspirational contender.

When team president Phil Jackson put the finishing touches on his work in free agency, only six players from the 2015-16 roster remained. Those players were Lou Amundson, Carmelo Anthony, Kyle O’Quinn, Kristaps Porzingis, Lance Thomas, and Sasha Vujacic.

According to Adam Zagoria of SNY, Porzingis took it upon himself to ask Thomas to re-sign with the Knicks during the summer of 2016.

“I told him at the end of the season don’t leave us,” Porzingis said. “That’s the type of guy who you want [to win]. He’s not the guy that everybody adores but he’s the guy who is going to do the work every night. He’s a warrior.”

The future face of the franchise has spoken.

Thomas traveled the long road to finding a home in the NBA. The five-year veteran went undrafted in 2010 and proceeded to bounce around between the D-League, China, and the back end of NBA rosters.

The Knicks acquired Thomas as a part of the trade that sent J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015, and he’s been a fan favorite ever since.

Thomas provides energy, positive energy, and a rare defensive versatility that enables him to defend both forward positions. A national champion with the Duke Blue Devils, he has a championship pedigree and an infectious work ethic.

Jackson rewarded Thomas’ efforts with a four-year contract worth $27,549,950 during the summer of 2016.

Though it is his first career long-term contract, many felt Thomas was signing for well below his market value. During a summer in which unfathomably sums of money were distributed, Thomas took a hometown discount.

By re-signing Thomas, Jackson appeased the future franchise player and found a potential championship-caliber glue guy.

The Brooklyn native is here to win.