Slimmer Kanter can fill stat sheet on both ends

New Knicks center Enes Kanter spent a lot of time in New York this summer, working out, losing weight and appearing on a couple of occasions with Russell Westbrook at Carmelo Anthony’s pickup games at his Manhattan gym.

According to Kanter’s manager, Hilmi Cinar, Kanter has used New York as his training base the past few offseasons. Though Anthony landed in Oklahoma City on Sunday night, the two never will become teammates.

Kanter, the 6-foot-11 Turkish big man, now is a Knick — the centerpiece of Saturday’s Anthony blockbuster — who will be introduced at Monday’s opening day of training camp.

“He’s not upset at all, but none of us expected this,” Cinar told The Post. “He enjoys New York, the food, the vibrancy, his friends come in and meet with here. It’s good culture.”

In a heartfelt thank you to OKC’s fans on social media, Kanter said Oklahoma “will always be in my heart” and “please beat the Warriors for me.”

Kanter, 25, is known to put up points inside in a hurry but struggles defensively to the point he didn’t see the floor much in the playoffs for OKC.

That snub spurred Kanter this summer. According to Cinar, Kanter has lost 33 pounds this offseason, dropping to 240, to improve movement on defense — an admitted weakness.

“He’ll be more athletic this year,’’ Cinar said.

According to sources, the Knicks like his toughness, physicality and ability to get to the free-throw line and score inside. He’s also European, giving the Knicks five on their roster. He’s got some feistiness — the only Thunder player to trash-talk Kevin Durant upon his first return to OKC.

Whether Kanter will start ahead of young center Willy Hernangomez is unclear. Kanter came off the bench, spelling center Steven Adams, in Oklahoma City.

“Kanter can definitely score — both in the low post and he has a decent mid-range face-up game,” an NBA scout told The Post. “He rebounds pretty well, too, particularly on the offensive glass. But he’s a poor defender. He isn’t a rim protector because he’s not a great athlete and has slow lateral movement. He doesn’t strike me as a guy who really wants to defend either. He wants to score and do the easy stuff.”