- Enes Kanter and Courtney Lee aren’t the only players who have seen their roles diminish on the Knicks in recent weeks, Marc Berman writes for The Post. Mario Hezonja, Trey Burke and Lance Thomas have also been given reduced time, with all five players becoming trade candidates for the Feb. 7 deadline, according to Berman. Knicks coach David Fizdale has prioritized playing younger talent this season, making the futures of some veterans uncertain.
The Knicks have treated the re-signing of Kristaps Porzingis as inevitable, given his pending restricted free agency, but the idea that Porzingis will have no leverage in the process is “bogus,” according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, who points out that star players can “maneuver themselves out of undesirable situations” even when they’re under contract.
Even if Porzingis doesn’t go the extreme route – accepting his one-year qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2020 – he could make things difficult on the Knicks by demanding a shorter-term deal (three years with a fourth-year player option) or signing an offer sheet with another club. In that scenario, the Nets would be a team to watch, per Bondy, who writes that GM Sean Marks is high on Porzingis and has a history of pursuing RFAs.
A five-year, maximum-salary deal with the Knicks would allow Porzingis to maximize his earnings and would give him long-term security. However, some people around the NBA believe the Knicks may try to include injury protection language in their offer, says Bondy. That way, if Porzingis has recurring issues related to his ACL recovery, the team would be protected to some extent. The youngster views himself as a max player though, according to Bondy, so New York could risk creating discord by offering less than that.
As we wait to see how Porzingis’ free agency plays out, here’s more on the Knicks:
- While Enes Kanter has expressed frustration and met with GM Scott Perry about his reduced playing time, another veteran – Courtney Lee – has been taking his diminished role in stride, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Lee has been a DNP-CD in three of the Knicks’ last four games, but is keeping a positive outlook. “I believe in karma, man,” Lee said. “Not going to come in here and be negative. Not going to pout. Not going to be a distraction because you never know when something could happen, then I get out there and I just play miserable and that’s all because I wasn’t being a professional. Just stay positive and stay ready for whatever happens.”
- In a separate Newsday story, Popper explores how Emmanuel Mudiay‘s confidence has increased since he was dealt from Denver to New York last year.
- Within a story about Courtney Lee, Marc Berman of The New York Post provides a tidbit related to the 2018 draft, citing sources who say the Knicks passed on Michael Porter Jr. last June in part because they were told he wouldn’t play in 2018/19. However, Berman now hears there’s still a chance Porter will make his NBA debut for the Nuggets later this season.
Following the Knicks‘ eighth consecutive loss on Tuesday, Enes Kanter told reporters, including Marc Berman of The New York Post, that he met with general manager Scott Perry earlier in the week. During that meeting, Kanter expressed frustration with the Knicks’ losing and his own diminishing role, but didn’t ask to be traded, as Berman relays.
“I did not ask for a trade, no. I did not say, ‘Scott, try and trade me.’ No I did not say that,” Kanter said. “Because I like it here a lot. And I probably won’t say to Scott’s face, ‘Scott, I want to get traded.’ Because I like it here a lot. But again, in the end, we all are competitors, basketball players. I like it here so much, but again, I want to win. I want this team to get to the playoffs one day. This is my blood, man, I’m sorry. If anyone asks anything else, I’m not going to do it. I’m going out there to get a win every time.”
The Knicks, whose 9-29 record is tied for second-worst in the NBA, are missing their best player, Kristaps Porzingis, and are clearly in rebuilding mode this season. Given the direction of the franchise, New York has been prioritizing the development of younger players. Luke Kornet has taken over as the club’s starting center, displacing Kanter, who racked up 17 points and 12 rebounds in just 20 minutes off the bench on Tuesday.
While Kanter suggested that he doesn’t take issue with being removed from the starting lineup, he remains frustrated about playing a limited role when he believes he can help the team win games.
“I even asked Scott, if you were in my situation, what would you do?” Kanter said, according to Berman. “He said, ‘The whole league knows you. Right now, we know that you are a very, very good basketball player. Now I want you to go out there and try to have that good character, try to be a good teammate, and try to help all the people.’ I understand we’re not winning a lot right now. But I guess it’s all for the young guys.”
Although Kanter hasn’t formally requested a trade, the Knicks seem likely to thoroughly explore the market for the big man before this season’s February 7 trade deadline. However, his $18MM expiring contract will complicate trade talks, since New York doesn’t want to compromise its 2019 cap flexibility by taking back any multiyear salary. In order to move Kanter, the Knicks may have to find a comparable expiring deal — Jabari Parker‘s $20MM contract would be one example, though it’s unlikely that the Bulls would have any interest in Kanter.
Anthony Davis will turn down a “supermax” extension from the Pelicans, setting up a frenzied competition between the Lakers and Celtics to pull off a trade, predicts Marc Stein of the New York Times in his latest newsletter. It’s one of several prognostications the veteran basketball writer offers up in a New Year’s Day column, but it’s the most explosive and one that will dominate NBA headlines throughout the summer if it comes true.
Davis could short-circuit the story by accepting the offer from New Orleans, which would pay him close to $240MM. But Stein expects Davis to value a shot at winning over money and look to join a loaded lineup in either Los Angeles or Boston. Stein also predicts the Lakers will be aggressive in trying to talk the Pelicans into a deal before the February 7 deadline while there’s not another strong suitor in sight. The Celtics can’t trade for Davis until Kyrie Irving opts out of his current deal because of an NBA rule prohibiting a team from acquiring two players currently on designated rookie extensions through trade.
Stein offers a few more significant personnel-related predictions:
- Despite Kawhi Leonard‘s success in Toronto, Stein expects him to sign with the Clippers in July. He adds that the Raptors will likely need to win a title to keep their new star from heading home to Southern California in free agency and predicts Toronto will start rebuilding if Leonard leaves, including a trade of Kyle Lowry.
- Kevin Durant may spend one more season with the Warriors before looking to move on in free agency. Stein admits there’s a lot of chatter about Durant joining the Knicks, but he believes the allure of playing in the new Chase Center will keep him him around for another year.
- A “wise insider” tells Stein that DeMarcus Cousins will consider returning to the Warriors for another season, although they can only offer a modest raise on his $5.3MM salary. Stein expects other prominent free agents, such as Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Klay Thompson, to stay where they are.
- Carmelo Anthony, currently in limbo on the Rockets‘ roster while looking for his next NBA opportunity, may have played his last game. It has been nearly two months since Anthony was last on the court and it doesn’t appear anyone is willing to take a chance on him, even at a minimum salary.
- Kevin Love trade talks will heat up soon, and Stein believes the Nuggets should get involved as they try to hold onto the top spot in the West. Love is projected to return from toe surgery this month and will become eligible to be dealt on January 24, a little more than two weeks before the deadline.
Enes Kanter has expressed a desire to play more minutes, with the clash between him and the Knicks only just getting started, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Kanter has averaged 26.6 minutes per game, starting in 23 of the team’s 37 games this season.
“We’re down by like 40 or 50,” Kanter said, according to Berman. “It’s very embarrassing. I understand we want our young guys to get better, but it’s very painful to watch it. … I have no idea why they’re doing that.”
Kanter is referring to the Knicks’ blowout loss at Utah last weekend, a game in which New York trailed by as many as 40 points. He shot 0-for-6 from the field and registered a minus-30 rating in 17 minutes of action, only adding to his frustration.
Kanter and the Knicks could explore a buyout or trade in the coming weeks, Berman notes, but Kanter’s love for the fans and city of New York may play a role in his eventual decision.
“I like it here,’’ Kanter said, as relayed by Berman in a separate story. “I like the fans here. Lot of good people here. Lot of good teammates. And I’m trying to stay positive, trying to support my teammates. All I can do right now, it’s a test and it’s definitely one of the hardest tests of my career. I’ve just got to stay positive.
“I do love New York. I’ve got no problem with New York. I’ve got no problem with the team, the organization or the fans. I love the media. [But] I want to play.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division today:
- Celtics guard Kyrie Irving suffered a scratched cornea in his left eye against the Spurs on Monday, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports. Irving was on the receiving end of an accidental elbow from Marco Belinelli, but later re-entered the game for his team. “It’s both eyes,” Irving, who was wearing sunglasses, said postgame. “He [Belinell] smacked the s— out of me. He caught me pretty good.” Celtics coach Brad Stevens noted Irving would take antibiotics, but that he isn’t sure what the injury holds beyond Monday.
- The Sixers are interested in adding perimeter help before the end of the season, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. Philadelphia completed a blockbuster deal to acquire All-Star Jimmy Butler in November, but the team club lacks the perimeter talent needed to become a well-rounded contender outside of its “Big Three.” The NBA’s trade deadline falls on February 7 this season.
- Several Raptors players have seen their roles change over the past 12 months, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. The Raptors hired a new head coach in Nick Nurse, re-signed Fred VanVleet on a multi-year deal, and struck a blockbuster trade to acquire Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green in the summer of 2018. Despite the moving parts, Toronto currently holds a 27-11 record and the No. 2 record in the Eastern Conference.
- Knicks guard Trey Burke has regained his love for basketball while playing in New York, Eric Woodyard of the Deseret News writes. Burke started his career with the Jazz, a tumultuous time period he still reflects on today. “I’ve had to figure the league out,” Burke said. “I think individually it helped me kind of look myself in the mirror and re-evaluate what I needed to get better at and the areas I needed to grow in.”
Knicks center Enes Kanter sounded off on his reduced playing time following a miserable night in Utah, relays Marc Berman of the New York Post. Kanter was pulled from the starting lineup earlier this season to give a more prominent to rookie Mitchell Robinson. With Robinson injured, Kanter remains a reserve as the team tries out little-used Luke Kornet.
The frustration overflowed last night following an 0-for-6 performance in which Kanter didn’t enter the game until nine minutes had elapsed and the Knicks were already trailing by 14 points.
“I understand we want the young guys to get better, but it’s very painful to watch it out there,’’ Kanter said. “I’m essentially positive and try to help the young guys get better. It’s too early in the season to shut me down. My goal this year was to go out and be an All-Star, but now look at the situation.’’
Kanter stopped short of asking for a trade, but he fears his minutes will be cut even further once Robinson returns. After opting in last summer, Kanter has an $18.6MM expiring contract that could be attractive to a contender.
There’s more this morning out of New York:
- In addition to the on-court frustration, Kanter learned Saturday that the NBA won’t be taking action against Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham for his role in a fracas this week, Berman adds. Kanter had called on the league to fine Ham for allegedly pushing him from behind during an altercation with Giannis Antetokounmpo. An NBA source told Berman that Ham “acted as a peacemaker to separate the players.”
- The Knicks envision Damyean Dotson as part of their future, Berman writes in a separate story. The team has until July 15 to guarantee his $1.6MM contract for next season and seems likely to do so. New York has received calls about him from other teams, including Detroit and Brooklyn, notes Berman, who speculates that having young wings like Dotson and Allonzo Trier could make the Knicks more willing to deal Tim Hardaway Jr. to help open cap space for a run at Kevin Durant.
- As Emmanuel Mudiay prepares for Monday’s return to Denver, he tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News that things got so bad late in his tenure there that he stopped talking to the media. Mudiay never developed into the player Nuggets hoped when they took him with the seventh pick in 2015, and he was benched prior to the February trade that brought him to New York. “It was just the best decision at the time for both of us,” Mudiay said of the deal. “So it’s not like, I want to prove y’all wrong or blah, blah, blah. It’s just certain things had to happen and it worked out best for both sides.”
Following a physical confrontation with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Knicks center Enes Kanter believes Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham should be fined for his role in the incident, per ESPN.
Kanter and Antetokounmpo briefly came face-to-face in Thursday’s game but were quickly separated. Ham, however, seemingly shoved Kanter from behind during the altercation.
“[Ham] should get fined,” Kanter said. “The NBA should fine him. He’s not my assistant coach, so he’s not allowed to touch me. You’re a Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach, so you’re allowed to touch the Bucks players. Not me. He cannot be touching me. I could’ve just pushed him back and started another fight, but I don’t think the NBA wants that. He’s not my assistant coach. He’s not my friend. He’s not nobody.”
Both Kanter and Antetokounmpo were issued technical fouls following the skirmish. Kanter was ejected moments later after receiving his second technical foul. The Knicks’ big man expressed disappointment with how the matter was handled and accused officials of giving the Bucks superstar preferential treatment.
“He’s the golden boy,” Kanter said. “Obviously he’s the golden child, and they gave me two technicals. OK. Whatever. I’m going to leave the management to take care of all that stuff.”
Kanter, in his second season with the Knicks, also expressed his issues with Antetokounmpo’s comments about Mario Hezonja. Hezonja dunked on Giannis during a game last month and then stepped over the ‘Greek Freek.’ Antetokounmpo said he would punch Hezonja in the groin the next time both teams played. However, Hezonja did not log any minutes in the Bucks’ Christmas Day win over the Knicks.
“I was very pissed because what kind of player are you … did he not get any PR lesson?” Kanter said. “You cannot say to the media, ‘I’m going to punch somebody in the whatever.’ If you’re the best player in the world or the worst player in the world, you cannot be talking about my teammate like that. It’s very childish of him. He’s an MVP candidate. He’s a cool dude and carrying that franchise, but you can’t be talking about my teammates like that.”
Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina is set to return to the rotation after sitting out of the team’s game on Christmas, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. The Knicks will play the Bucks on Thursday night, the second matchup between the teams this week.
“He’s a pro, man,” coach David Fizdale said of Ntilikina. “He says, ‘Coach, don’t you worry about that.’ That’s how he talks. He says, ‘I don’t want you to worry about that. I know you are going to get me back in there at some point and I won’t let you down.’
“For a 20-year-old kid to think that way and talk that way even though I know it hurt him, and I know it was hard on him, and I didn’t want to do that to him — he just handled it great. I want him to have a shot back at these guys.”
Ntilikina’s sudden benching likely harmed his confidence, but the 20-year-old has stayed ready for a second opportunity. His mother traveled to New York for the Christmas Day game, according to Berman, making the sudden DNP sting even more for the second-year player.
Ntilikina has averaged 6.3 points per contest in 31 games this season, shooting 34% from the field and 29% from 3-point range. The Knicks drafted him with the No. 8 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Al Horford‘s return brought a calming effect to the Celtics this week, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports writes. Horford returned to Boston’s lineup on Christmas against the 76ers, producing nine rebounds, six assists and solid all-around leadership. “[Horford] just brings a calming presence,” said teammate Kyrie Irving. “[There’s] nothing like having a plus-12[-year] vet out there that knows how to play basketball. He makes the game a lot easier with screening, rebounding, defense, all the intangibles that just demand that effort. And he’s just always locked in, in the game plan.”
- Despite Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid not being a flawless fit together, the duo still has several years to work out the kinks and improve as members of the Sixers, David Murphy of Philly.com opines. Philadelphia currently owns a 22-13 record behind the production of Simmons, Embiid and Jimmy Butler, good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
- Despite the Celtics‘ recent success, All-Star Kyrie Irving will need more help if the team hopes to make a late postseason run, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. The Celtics were expected to be at the top of their conference entering 2019, but the team holds just a 20-13 record and the fifth seed 33 games into the season. Boston sports a talented mix of players around Irving that includes Horford, Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward.
With trade speculation swirling around Anthony Davis, ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes that Davis’ situation is the NBA’s biggest ongoing story, contending that the media didn’t create that story — the calendar did. With the Pelicans now in 14th place in the Western Conference at 15-20 and Davis’ super-max eligibility just over six months away, it’s only logical that NBA insiders – including media, agents, and executives – will start taking a closer look at Davis’ future, says Lowe.
Davis hasn’t expressed interest in a trade. He also hasn’t told people close to him that he wants to join the Lakers or any other specific team if he decides to leave New Orleans, sources tell Lowe.
Still, Lowe – who hears that teams expect Davis to sign a series of shorter-term contracts – is predicting that the All-NBA big man will eventually turn down the Pelicans’ super-max offer when the team puts it on the table in the offseason. If that happens, Davis would effectively become a free agent, according to Lowe, since he’d be on an expiring contract and will have passed on the Pelicans’ best possible extension offer.
Here’s more from Lowe on Davis and the Pelicans:
- Explaining why the Lakers and Celtics are most frequently cited as the logical trade partners for the Pelicans if they eventually decide to move Davis, Lowe runs through several other options – including the Heat, Spurs, Bulls, Knicks, and Sixers – and has trouble finding another team with the necessary assets to make it work.
- As Lowe details, the Heat, Spurs, Bulls, and Knicks would have to give up virtually all the players Davis would want as teammates, and Klutch’s representation of Ben Simmons would complicate a Philadelphia scenario. The Warriors would have interest, according to Lowe, but they wouldn’t trade Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry, and it would be tricky to make a deal work with Klay Thompson (a 2019 free agent) or Draymond Green as a centerpiece.
- Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer covers similar ground in an article of his own, taking a deep dive into the Davis situation and exploring possible outcomes and trade scenarios. One interesting note from O’Connor, who examines whether the Pelicans can improve their roster around Davis: The Pelicans have never gone into the luxury tax, and front office executives don’t expect them to anytime soon.
- On the non-Davis front, Lowe revisits some previous Pelicans roster moves, citing sources who say that the team considered spending all its cap room in 2016 on Harrison Barnes. Instead, New Orleans ended up with E’Twaun Moore and Solomon Hill — the investment in Moore has worked out, but Hill’s contract has become an albatross.
- Although the Pelicans’ 2017/18 in-season acquisition of Nikola Mirotic essentially served as a response to DeMarcus Cousins‘ season-ending Achilles injury, they were actually in trade talks for Mirotic even before that injury, per Lowe. Davis, Cousins, and Mirotic couldn’t have all been on the court together, so it’s not clear how New Orleans’ plan would have worked if Cousins hadn’t gotten hurt — it was “the sort of jumble that materializes when a team flings itself from plan to plan,” writes Lowe.