The cold war continues.
In officially announcing his participation with Team Latvia this summer, Kristaps Porzingis revealed Monday he still has not spoken to Knicks officials since the season ended or gotten permission from the team on his decision to play in the European Championships.
Speaking at a press conference in Liepaja, his hometown, and flanked by his two brothers, the disgruntled 7-foot-3 Knicks star said in his native tongue, according to a translation provided by Latvian journalist Ingmārs Jurisons: “To be honest — I don’t want to comment on anything that happened at the season’s end. Personally I did not have any contact with anybody from the club [since the season ended], so … better that Janis comment on this.”
Janis Porzingis, the eldest brother, who is one of Porzingis’ agents for ASM Sports, added: “It’s always a player’s decision, it’s Kristaps’ decision. Obviously it’s harder during the first couple years in the league, but after that you decide things on your own. And Kristaps is in a position to do that.”
As he did last week, Porzingis declined to specify why he blew off his exit meeting with Knicks president Phil Jackson on April 13.
“I don’t want to talk about what happened between me and the club,” Porzingis said, repeating the line twice during a 45-minute press conference attended by about 35 European journalists.
The European Championships begin in late August, but training camp starts in July. Last summer, after Porzingis’ sterling rookie year, the Knicks recommended he not participate in the Olympic qualifier for Latvia to work on individual skills.
“I thought about this for a while already, maybe subconsciously, but when the season ended and since I am healthy — I realized that I certainly want to help the national team,’’ Porzingis said.
Porzingis, who left for Latvia on Thursday, promised he will report to Knicks late-September training camp on time despite the national-team obligation.
“My next focus is national team,’’ Porzingis said. “My third season is still far away. The main thing is to put in a lot of work during the summer to be ready, first for national team, then for next season. The European Championships ends before the official NBA camp starts, so I have enough time to turn back to New York. I’ll be there on time.”
One of many issues this season was Porzingis’ failure to get the ball late in close games. He has yet to hit a game-winning shot in his two seasons with the Knicks.
“It’s harder for my family,’’ Porzingis said, laughing. “When we play road games, my family comes together to watch it in my apartment, and after one such game, I needed a new TV set. Janis was way too upset at one point.’’
The Knicks are in the dark on why Porzingis went AWOL. Sources told The Post he isn’t happy with the way the franchise is being run — with Jackson publicly trying to trade his mentor, Carmelo Anthony, and issuing mixed messages on the team’s offensive and defensive systems. Porzingis described the climate as “confusion’’ in March.
Porzingis, who was limited to 66 games in an injury-plagued sophomore season, was asked Monday if he sees himself with the Knicks after his rookie contract expires in 2019. The Knicks can extend a qualifying offer to Porzingis after his fourth year, which would make him a restricted free agent and allow the team to match any contract offer he receives.
“To be honest, I don’t think about that right now, I just try to do my best,” he said. “I believe everything will resolve itself.”
Janis Porzingis then added, “Actually there is no reason for this question — Kristaps is drafted there, he wants to play his whole career in New York.’’
Porzingis recently told a Latvian magazine he wants to retire a Knick, but “winning is most important.’’
Porzingis repeated he would take up boxing as training this summer, mentioning he would have sessions with WBC champ Mairis Briedis, who is from Latvia. Porzingis said he isn’t sure if any Knicks assistant coaches will come to Latvia to work out with him this summer as one did last year, when Joshua Longstaff was dispatched.
“Maybe Kristaps’ personal coach will visit KP’s summer camp [in mid-June] in Liepaja as he did last year, but nothing more,’’ Janis said.
Martins Porzingis, the elder brother who lives in the same Manhattan apartment complex as Kristaps, said the attention in New York was too much to bear after the exit-meeting blow-off.
“There was a lot of pressure from New York media in the last couple of weeks, a lot of questions we had no answers to,’’ Martins Porzingis said. “I could not wait to go home.’’
Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said this month he wanted to discuss Porzingis’ participation in the European Championships with his player after the season. Mindaugas Kuzminskas (Lithuania) and Willy Hernangomez (Spain) are also playing in the competition, and the Knicks coach added he wanted to talk to their respective coaches to request their practice time be limited.
Pre-tournament exhibitions start in early August with Latvia facing Lithuania.
“I talked to Kuzminskas already during the season about [the event],’’ Porzingis said. “That we’re gonna kick Lithuania a–- in exhibition games.’’
— Additional reporting by Ingmārs Jurisons in Latvia