The New York Knicks are clearly looking at the offseason, and not just because the team is bad. They appear to have some cap apace available in the summer and are looking to sign a big-time free agent like Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant. One of the players coming off of the books next season is center Enes Kanter. The big man was recently sent to the bench, despite being a more effective player than his replacement Luke Kornet.
In speaking to ESPN’s Ian Begley, Kanter did not shy away from his dissatisfaction with being benched.
“I don’t understand,” he said to ESPN. “This is too early in the season to shut me down. My goal is to go out there and try to be an All-Star this year. That was my goal. But now, look at the situation. You can’t do anything about it. You’ve got to stay positive. Just got to stay positive.”
“I just want to go out there and play basketball,” Kanter said. “I want to win. I don’t know why they’re shutting me down. I just want to go out there and win. It doesn’t matter starter or come off the bench. I think every player’s job to just go out there and fight every minute on the court. That’s what I want to do. Just want to go out there and just play basketball. So I don’t understand why they’re shutting me down.”
In the first game without Kanter as the starter, the Knicks were not only beaten down by the Utah Jazz: they were completely obliterated. New York trailed by as many as 46 points en route to a 129-97 loss at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s embarrassing,” Kanter said after the loss. “It doesn’t matter if we’re on the road or we’re at home. We’re down by like 40 or 50. It’s very embarrassing. I understand we want our young guys to get better. But it’s very painful to watch it. I try to stay positive and help the young guys get better, but like I said, I have no idea why they’re doing that.”
Enes Kanter was acquired in the Carmelo Anthony trade from two offseason ago. He is getting paid $18.6 million this season, so he likely will have to be bought out if he and the Knicks wish to part ways.
