Knicks fans have taken Enes Kanter‘s side in his dispute with coach David Fizdale over playing time, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Kanter has sat out the past four games despite reportedly being promised an expanded role in the wake of an injury to Luke Kornet. Fans at Madison Square Garden expressed their support by chanting Kanter’s name during Sunday’s loss to the Heat.
“[If] it was a road game, I understand,” Kanter said. “But it’s a home game, and the fans wanted to see me out here. And they were chanting. I felt bad I couldn’t go out there and help my teammates and the organization. You can’t go out there and help the fans because they’re paying so much money to come watch us. They want to see me out there.”
Fizdale can’t claim it’s because he’s giving more time to younger players, Berman notes, because 30-year-old Lance Thomas has moved into the starting lineup at power forward. Kanter is a prime candidate to be traded by next week’s deadline or bought out if nothing materializes.
“My agent is saying just keep your head up, stay strong and stay in shape and keep being a good teammate and I’ll handle the rest,” Kanter said. “I’m going to leave it to him.”
There’s more this morning out of New York:
- The Knicks are expected to be aggressive in their efforts to land Pelicans star Anthony Davis, but the front office isn’t clear on what New Orleans wants in a potential deal, Berman reports in a separate story. New York has a wealth of future assets to offer, including a high lottery pick in this year’s draft and rookie center Mitchell Robinson, a Louisiana native whom the Pelicans have “always liked,” a source tells Berman. New Orleans didn’t have a first-round pick last summer, and Robinson had already been taken before its first selection at No. 52. However, an NBA talent evaluator says the only things the Pelicans would be interested in from the Knicks are Kristaps Porzingis and draft picks.
- A trade of Davis to the Lakers could help the Knicks solve their problems at point guard, Berman adds in the same piece. Lonzo Ball reportedly doesn’t want to play in New Orleans and could be available if New York gets involved to make it a three-team deal. Berman states that the Knicks “loved” Ball coming out of college and might see him as a long-term answer. It’s also possible that the Pelicans could keep Ball and look to unload Elfrid Payton, whom New York GM Scott Perry drafted in Orlando and tried to acquire at last year’s trade deadline.
- Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic wonders if the Knicks would be willing to surrender their first-round pick and rookie Kevin Knox to the Pelicans to make a deal work for Davis. He also speculates on other players who may be involved in a potential offer.
It doesn’t matter if it is a home game or a road game. Keep your mouth shut and maybe you get some minutes. Fans would rather see Melo play than you.
Sir this is a Wendy’s drive-thru
You couldn’t be more wrong…
The only thing Kanter has done wrong is play too well when he’s on the court .. guy is a double double machine and gives them a better chance to win when he’s out there .. can’t have that when you’re shooting for 1st overall pick
Learn about the NBA.
Fantasy sports aren’t the same thing.
And he gives up twice as much as he produces. His defense is atrocious.
Is that you, Fizzstale?
You just had to go there didn’t you?
Two of the worst Knicks in recent history and I have to choose one?
Bowserhound, the fans were legit calling for him, he’s not calling for himself.
Trash talk him all you want, but dude has a point. Promised to start, and then pulled. Told that he was being benched for youth, and now LT is in the starting lineup.
Knicks want to deal Lee and Kanter, but don’t play them?
This is where NBA needs to consider making all rookies 2-way contracts.. want to play young guys? Send them to the “minors”
No excuse to tank either… People pay to watch NBA talent, not see “young guys develop”
U think we will see them move this way sooner than later. Teams give up on guys after 3 years at age 22-23… No one hits their prime in this league until like 27.. some guys aren’t even in the league anymore by that age
*I think
As in this could/should happen as part of the future plans to go back to drafting dudes out of HS again.
I really like this idea and it should be explored ASAP by silver it is not cool to expect fans to pay to see these teams tank. they have to come up with a better system like maybe you can never have a top 8 pick 2 years in a row. maybe even a deal were if you sign an A grade level free agent you forfeit your first round pick and it converts into a second round pick idk just something because things are just out of whack right now in the NBA.
Or, just don’t but a ticket.
He doesn’t have a point
He’s a team cancer and is talking just enough to end his career.
knicks have overvalued “assets” that no one wants and they’d rather tank for the draft – nothing to cry about. what else would you expect from the knicks org?
if I was NO a package of
Knox,Robinson and THJ and a 2022 unprotected first round sounds mighty hard to pass up.
you should be able to flip THJ to a contender in need of wing help.
but are that many NBA teams gonna go all in on DAVIS knowing that his agent is pushing him towards Lakers ?
Knick fans are supporting Kanter because they know the facts, and, on those, there really is no dispute. They suggest that this is another instance where this FO and HC have mismanaged a personnel situation.
Kanter hasn’t shut up since he got here, and there’s no reason for him to start now. The Knicks FO, until recently, has been his biggest cheer leader. Might be the best PR guy the Knicks have had in recent memory. Certainly the best older teammate to the young players.
The Knicks should be thankful he’s not another Noah and give him at least the same consideration. If they can’t trade him by the deadline, give him his release. This group hasn’t (effectively) negotiated a thing with any player since taking over, so there’s no reason for it to be any more complex than that.
Those fans deserve James Dolan, and the Knicks theyve had for however many years now. I dont wamt to see any of them celebrating when Fizdale helps them turn things around into the future. All 3 of Robinson, Kornet, and Vonleh aee/have played better than Kanter
Factually incorrect. Kanter, statistically speaking, is the Knicks’ best player. This is by regular and advanced stats. To say that Kornet has been better than Kanter is laughable.
One of the knocks on Fizdale has been communication with players. If you’re not going to play someone after you told them they were going to play, you don’t send an assistant to tell the guy he isn’t going to play. That’s just weak. Not playing Ntilikina on Christmas Day when his mom flew over from France to see him play? I know it’s not little league and everyone’s not promised to play, but that’s grimy.
agreed
This Knicks fans and all of the fans that know anything about basketball know Kantor is a tool and have not taken his side.
Don’t you guys pay any attention to fans? You can’t just parrot idiots in the media and ignore what you know is true.
Well. You can but….
Kanter was last year & is this year Knicks best player hands down, as simple as, not cool to hate on people.
He was good last year for sure, hard to tell this year given the lack of minutes.
Best player…on a crap team. And KP was the best player until he went down. As for this year, there isn’t one. They all suck.
I just read the fans wanted Kanter. BTW what is it that Kanter is a tool of? Or, it was a random insult. Why so mad in a tank year? This is a time for Knicks leadership to show they can at least manage meager things but they have not inspired confidence. Kanter at least has a few impressive dimensions.