New York Knicks Enes Kanter (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Enes Kanter is unhappy with his role on the New York Knicks. What should they do with him?
The New York Knicks entered the 2018-19 season with Enes Kanter as the starting center, as with 2017-18, to little surprise. Rookie Mitchell Robinson was perceived to need time in the G League, after not playing collegiate ball before this past draft.
Just five games in, head coach David Fizdale changed the starting lineup, with the head-turning move to replace Kanter with Robinson. This has stuck in the 12 games since.
Kanter’s displeasure with the move, despite playing nearly one more minute per game than he did in 2017-18, has been apparent. From “dot” tweets that have nothing to do with Damyean Dotson to public comments, the veteran center is not happy.
With this just one month into the season, there’s plenty of time for Kanter’s angst to build. That doesn’t put the Knicks in a positive position, and it may force them to make a decision.
What options does the team have, though? Let’s take a look:
4. Keep and leave on bench
The New York Knicks don’t necessarily have to make a move. They can keep Kanter on the roster, in his role, and move forward without change. That’s perhaps the easiest direction of action for Fizdale and the front office.
It’s not like Kanter’s play has suffered on the bench, either. In 25.3 minutes per game, he averages 15.0 points, 12.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 52.2 percent shooting. That includes seven double-doubles.
Robinson’s numbers have dwarfed these, due to foul trouble and a steady ascension towards more minutes. So Kanter is the “primary” center, except he provides less defensive value than his rookie teammate.
The Turkish big man can keep this role through the season finale, before hitting free agency. It’s maybe not ideal before he earns a multi-year, eight-figure salary, but the stats have still accompanied the move to the bench.
Of course, it risks more public outcry since it’s early in the season. If the Knicks feel confident in trudging through this, they can work together for the remaining 65 games.