New York Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis out until at least February

New York Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis will not play again until at least mid-February, according to the team's president.

Steve Mills says Porzingis will undergo a medical re-evaluation of his surgically repaired knee in two months, but it remains unclear whether he will be able to return at all this season.

"We'd love to see him play," Mills said. "But we also acknowledge that he is a really, really important part of the long-term future of this franchise, and the one thing we're not going to do is take any real risk."

When he is evaluated in February, it will be a year since Porzingis tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but he has been showing signs of progress.

Porzingis passed recent benchmark tests for strength, quickness and lateral agility, and has also been working out one on one with a Knicks assistant coach for 45 minutes at team practices.

The 7-foot-3 Latvian has participated in shoot-arounds before home games and in film sessions but does not travel with the team.

"We're really excited and happy with the progress K. P. is making," Mills said."It was just good to see him out there. He was doing three-quarter-court drills with some speed and pull-up 3s and a couple of dunks."

The Knicks are near the bottom of the league with a 9-25 record following Friday's defeat to Atlanta, so Porzingis won't be able to save them this season.

Having him on the court could help the Knicks in the summer, with potential free agents possibly more inclined to sign if they see a fit Porzingis.

But Mills said that won't play into the Knicks' thinking.

"The most important thing for us is to have Kristaps on the court when he feels comfortable being on the court and we feel comfortable that he should be out there.

"That's more important than any timetable this season."

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