A disgruntled Enes Kantersounded off on Wednesday night after getting no playing time in the New York Knicks’ loss to the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden.
“I want to play basketball,” Kanter said, after receiving a Did Not Play-Coach’s Decision (DNP-CD) on Wednesday. “If you’re going to play me here, play me. Or if not, then just get me out of here.”
With starting center Luke Kornet sidelined with an ankle injury, Kanter was expected to see substantial playing time against Houston. In fact, head coach David Fizdaletold Kanter on Wednesday morning that the big man would start. Later in the day, however, assistant coach Keith Smart relayed the news that Kanter was likely headed for a DNP-CD.
Kanter wants out of New York. (John E. Sokolowski/USA Today Sports)
The decision to startNoah Vonleh was “frustrating” for Kanter. Fizdale said he started Vonleh in an attempt to slow down Rockets superstar guardJames Harden in pick-and-roll situations. That obviously did not work, as Harden erupted for a career-high 61 points in Houston's 114-110 victory.
Kanter was informed by Fizdale last week that the Knicks planned to play young centers Kornet and Mitchell Robinson more moving forward. Still, Kanter was irritated by the fact that he was told he would start versus Houston, only to ride the pine for the entire contest.
"My job right now is just cheer for my teammates and try to be a good teammate, [but] what they're doing to me is pretty messed up. I deserve way better," Kanter said.
The 26-year-old Kanter is clearly not a part of the long-term plans for the rebuilding Knicks. Locked in a youth movement, the Knicks see no reason to play the seven-year veteran, an awful defender. He ranks 66th out of 67 centers in ESPN's defensive real plus-minus.
Teams interested in Kanter will be drawn to his scoring and rebounding abilities. He averages 14.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per contest.
Kanter wants out of New York, changing his tune from last month when he met with Knicks general manager Scott Perry and expressed his frustration with being removed from the starting unit—but indicated his desire to remain with the franchise.
A free agent at the end of the season, Kanter would like to be moved before the NBA’s trade deadline on Feb. 7.
The San Antonio Spurs have “significant interest” in New York Knickscenter Kristaps Porzingis, according to The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor. Porzingis, an All-Star in 2018, has yet to play this season as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered last February.
Porzingis averaged 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 48 games played last season before tearing his ACL. He shot a career-best 39.5 percent from three-point territory.
A restricted free agent this summer, Porzingis will likely command a max contract of four years—which would equate to $122.1 million. The Knicks can match any contract the Spurs, or any other team, proposes to the 23-year-old.
The Spurs are interested in Knicks restricted free agent Kristaps Porzingis. (AP)
Clearing cap space for Porzingis will be a challenge for the Spurs. They would have to dispatch some of their higher-paid players—possibly trading either four-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan or six-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge—and waiving Pau Gasol‘s partially-guaranteed contract of $16 million for next season. Rudy Gay’s contract ($10 million) also comes off the books this summer.
Because the Knicks can match any offer sheet an opposing team hands Porzingis, the 7-foot-3-inch Latvian big man will likely stay in New York unless a trade takes place.
The Knicks hold the third-worst record in the NBA with a 10-30 mark. There is no reason to bring back Porzingis this season, who is better off sitting out and returning to full health.
TheNew York Knicksare steadfast on their youth movement and willing to part ways with veteransEnes KanterandTrey Burke, according toMike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Vorkunov writes that the Knicks would be open to moving seldom-used veteransCourtney LeeandLance Thomas, as well.
Teams have reportedly reached out to the rebuilding Knicks (10-29) regarding Kanter’s availability, but trade talks have not progressed far. Kanter, a free agent this summer who makes $18.6 million this season, has been frustrated with his role on the team after being removed from the starting lineup back in December. He had a face-to-face meeting with Knicks GM Scott Perry on New Year’s Eve where he expressed his dissatisfaction with being pulled from the first-unit.
Enes Kanter is unhappy with his role in New York. (AP Image)
While Kanter is a double-double machine—averaging 14.4 points and 10.7 rebounds per contest—he is one of the worst defenders in basketball. He struggles particularly in pick-and-roll defense. He could be useful as a spark-plug off the bench for a contender, similar to how he was utilized in his playing days for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As for Burke, he has essentially been removed from the Knicks’ rotation since returning from a knee injury last month. He is also a free agent at season’s end. Burke is a natural scorer, averaging 11.2 points despite playing only 19.2 minutes per contest.
Lee, once a productive starter in the NBA, is a shell of his former self. Unlike Burke and Kanter, Lee is under contract for next season. He will earn $11.7 million in 2019-20.
Thomas, an end-of-the-bench player who has remained in the league because of his defensive ability, has a non-guaranteed contract for next season. While he won’t be in high demand for his skillset, his $6.5 million contract could help facilitate a trade financially.
The New York Knicks are not taking any chances with their franchise center Kristaps Porzingis. Knicks president Steve Mills says the team is open to sitting Porzingis—who is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in February—for the entire 2018-19 season. "Our goal is to not to do anything that jeopardizes KP’s future as being one of the foundational pieces of this team,” Mills said to The New York Post when asked if it makes sense for the Knicks to hold out Porzingis for the entire year, “He’s back. We’ll have some medical evaluations this week and we’ll start to develop what the right plan is for him to come back. But we’re not going to do anything to jeopardize the future of the franchise. We’re going to stay true to that." There is no need for the Knicks to rush their lone All-Star back, especially in what will be another rebuilding year. The Knicks would ideally like to showcase Porzingis to the free agent class of 2019—which includes the likes of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler, all of whom have been rumored (for whatever that’s worth nowadays) to be interested in playing for New York—but the big man’s health remains the top priority.
Kristaps Porzingis may miss the entire 2018-19 season/ (Jim McIsaac/Newsday)
Porzingis was an All-Star last season, averaging career-highs in points (22.7) and blocks (2.4) per contest. He also shot a career-best 39.5 percent from three-point territory in 48 games played. He was unable to play in the All-Star Game as he tore his ACL less than two weeks before the NBA’s All-Star weekend took place. David Fizdale, named the team’s head coach in May, visited Porzingis in Latvia. The two are said to be on good terms as they look to turn around a franchise that has not reached the postseason since 2013. Even if Porzingis can’t contribute this season, he is expected to be the face of the team (even if the Knicks can lure a major free agent in the summer of 2019) for years to come. Porzingis is eligible for a five-year, $157 million extension if he signs a deal before the start of the upcoming season. However, the Knicks are expected to wait until next summer to re-sign him, which would save the team cap space down the road.
Amar’e Stoudemire retired two summers ago, but is now open to a return to the NBA. Posting a personal photo on hisInstagram account, the 35-year-old declared he is “NBA ready.” A six-time All-Star, the ninth overall selection of the 2002 NBA Draft dominated in his first eight seasons playing for the Phoenix Suns. The power forward won Rookie of the Year in 2003, made All-NBA First Team in 2007 and was selected to the All-NBA Second Team in 2005, 2008 and 2010. Stoudemire signed with the New York Knicks in the summer of 2010 and made the Eastern Conference All-Star roster—and earned All-NBA Second Team honors again—in his first season with the franchise, averaging 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Stoudemire shined in his first season with the Knicks. (AP Photo)
Injuries derailed his career after his inaugural season with New York and he never returned to his star status. He played for the Knicks until they bought him out in Feb. 2015, later signing with the Dallas Mavericks for the remainder of the season. Stoudemire then inked a one-year deal with the Miami Heat. He posted career-lows in virtually every statistical category with Miami in 2015-16 and called it quits after the year. He opted to sign a one-day contract with New York in order to retire as a member of the Knicks. Plans have now changed for Stoudemire after participating in the BIG3 league this summer. He spent the previous year playing for Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel.
It’s unclear if there are any suitors for the 14-year veteran who will turn 36 in November.
With the NBA releasing its 2017–18 schedule on Monday, here is a glance at the must-see home contest for all 15 squads from the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta Hawks
Vs. Denver Nuggets (Oct. 27): Atlanta opted not to re-sign Paul Millsap, who compiled four All-Star seasons with the team before joining the Nuggets in the offseason via free agency. The Hawks will likely pay some sort of tribute to their former star Millsap, who conveyed his anger that Atlanta did not even make him a contract offer.
For a franchise in full rebuild mode, Millsap’s return to Atlanta might be the only thing Hawks fans can get excited about this season.
Boston Celtics
Vs. Washington Wizards (Dec. 25): The Celtics host a Christmas Day game for the first time in 53 years when the Wizards visit TD Garden in a rematch of last year’s seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals series.
John Wall and Isaiah Thomas will go head-to-head on Christmas. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The two best point guards in the East — Washington’s John Wall and Boston’s Isaiah Thomas — take center stage in a rivalry that now includes both of the Morris twins — with Markieff Morris entering his second full season (acquired at the 2016 trade deadline) with the Wizards and Marcus Morris now a member of the Celtics.
Brooklyn Nets
Vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Feb. 2): Lakers president Magic Johnson chastised Nets point guard D’Angelo Russell after trading him to Brooklyn. Russell didn’t pan out as expected with the Lakers, something Johnson made clearafter dealing the guard. Johnson said the Lakers needed “a leader” and someone whom “players want to play with” and Russell apparently didn’t fit the bill on either accounts.
Russell gets the chance to make Johnson eat his words (at least for one night) and goes head-to-head against the guy who replaced him, Lonzo Ball.
Charlotte Hornets
Vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Dec. 9): Will the attention-seeking LaVar Ball, father of Lonzo Ball, make the trip for the Lakers’ only visit to Charlotte?
If so, it would be intriguing to see Lavar, who has manipulated the media into covering his every move, interact with Michael Jordan. Lavar — successfully boasting his way into the league’s limelight with his incessant, nonsensical trash-talking tirades and all — claimed he would have “killed” NBA legend Jordan in one-on-one. Jordan snickered at Lavar’s comment, saying he could defeat LaVar playing on just one leg.
Chicago Bulls
Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Feb. 9): Jimmy Butler returns to the United Center — this time as a visitor and a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, who is entering his third season as Minnesota’s coach and president of basketball operations, also makes his lone visit of the year to Chicago for what is the Bulls’ only scheduled nationally televised game of the season.
Minnesota’s Tom Thibodeau (left) and Jimmy Butler (center) visit the Bulls in February. (AP Photo)
Cleveland Cavaliers
Vs. Golden State Warriors (Jan. 15): The Cavs look for redemption against the defending champion Golden State Warriors, who defeated Cleveland in a lopsided five-game NBA Finals last June.
Detroit Pistons
Vs. Charlotte Hornets (Oct. 18): Opening night against Charlotte in the Pistons’ new home court, Little Caesars Arena, should make for a boisterous atmosphere in downtown Detroit.
Indiana Pacers
Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Dec. 13): Expect boos when four-time All-Star Paul George returns to Bankers Life Fieldhouse. George demanded a trade and got his wish as the forward was dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Paul George makes his lone trip of the season to Indianapolis in December. (Robert Scheer/IndyStar)
Miami Heat
Vs. Boston Celtics (Oct. 28): Kelly Olynyk plays his first game against the franchise that drafted him back in 2013 after signing a four-year, $50 million contract with the Heat this offseason.
Miami faces Gordon Hayward, who chose to sign with the Celtics over the Heat this summer.
Milwaukee Bucks
Vs. Toronto Raptors (Jan. 5): The upstart Bucks get a chance early in the 2018 calendar year for revenge against the team that knocked them out of the postseason.
The Bucks hope to prove they are now on Toronto’s level.
New York Knicks
Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Nov. 13): LeBron James has put on a show at Madison Square Garden on multiple occasions, averaging 28.5 points per contest in New York’s home arena. MSG is the only arena where James has topped the 50-point plateau twice.
But the main story-line here is Kyrie Irving playing against the Knicks (assuming Irving is still on Cleveland’s roster come mid-November), a team that is reportedly on his wish list for trade destinations.
According to reports, Kyrie Irving is interested in playing for the Knicks. (Darren Abate/AP)
A minor subplot is Derrick Rose’s return to New York, where he played one season and registered 18 points and 4.4 assists per game before signing with the Cavs this offseason.
Orlando Magic
Vs. Miami Heat (Oct. 18): No contest stands out in particular on the schedule for the Magic, who look destined for another losing season, so opening night against the in-state rival Miami Heat might be the game to attend for Orlando fans.
Philadelphia 76ers
Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (March 24): The first overall pick in each of the past four NBA drafts — the 76ers’ Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons and Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins — will be in action for this contest featuring a bevy of young talent. Joel Embiid versus Towns could provide fireworks.
Toronto Raptors
Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Jan. 11): Cleveland has knocked Toronto out of the past two postseasons, as the Cavs swept the Raptors in the second-round last year.
It’s only a regular-season contest, but this game gives the Raptors a chance to see if they shortened any of the gap between themselves and the three-time reigning Eastern Conference champions.
Washington Wizards
Vs. Boston Celtics (Feb. 8): The Wizards host the team that defeated them in the East Semifinals for the first time in 2018.
The home team won every matchup (regular season and playoffs) last year.
