Mavs' Cuban, Porzingis on 'same page' regarding long-term deal
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and the recently acquired Kristaps Porzingis are already singing from the same song sheet.
When Porzingis was asked at his introductory press conference on Monday if he'd like to sign a long-term deal, Cuban quickly interjected: "I can answer that for you. Yeah, he does," according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
Porzingis echoed Cuban's sentiments, adding: "We’re on the same page."
The towering Latvian, who was traded to Dallas from the New York Knicks on Thursday, will hit restricted free agency after this season. The Mavericks will be able to retain his services as long as they match any potential offer sheet another team submits to him.
Porzingis has been sidelined since February 2018 with a torn ACL. He asserted Monday that he feels "ready to get back on the court," but said the plan is to wait until the 2019-20 campaign.
While the Mavs will need to wait to see Porzingis suit up alongside Rookie of the Year front-runner Luka Doncic, Porzingis believes he's already building chemistry with the Slovenian.
"We clicked right away," Porzingis said of Doncic. "I think that’s going to translate on the court."
Cuban, for his part, insisted the plan is to ensure the dynamic duo have plenty of time to succeed in Dallas.
"Our goal is to keep them together for the next 20 years," Cuban said, per Marc Stein of The New York Times.
The Unicorn refrained from providing details on his issues with the Knicks leading up to Thursday's seven-player trade.