According to Nick DePaula of The Vertical, New York Knicks rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis will be a free agent this year.
A sneaker free agent that is. On September 30, 2016, Porzingis’ current sneaker deal will end. Which is a unique situation.
He initially signed a four-year deal with Nike as a teenager when he began playing professionally overseas that paid him just $25,000 per year. That means his shoe deal expires this summer, after just one year in the NBA, which is entirely unheard of.
“What made it unique was that it wasn’t over by the time he was drafted,” explained Chris Brantley, vice president of marketing at ASM Sports, which represents Porzingis.