Kanter aims for long-term deal
Enes Kanter wants a new contract, not a new home.
Before his exit meeting with Knicks management Thursday, the big man said he is leaning toward opting out of the one year remaining on his contract — worth $18.6 million — and hopes to return to New York on a long-term deal.
“I was thinking about it today: After you play for New York, you really don’t want to go play anywhere else,” Kanter said. “I told you from Day 1 I want to be here. ... When I say I want to make New York my home, it’s no lie. I want to stay here longterm. I don’t just want to stay here one year and then make a decision later.
“But I’m not saying I’m in or out 100 percent. I’m just saying I want to stay here long-term.”
Kanter joined the Knicks on Sept. 25, as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade with the Thunder, and thrived as an interior presence, while still showing defensive limitations. The 6-foot-11 center started in all of his 71 games, averaged 14.1 points and tied a career-high by averaging 11 rebounds while shooting a career-best 59.2 percent from the field.
Kanter said he’s looked at the free- agent class and heard this summer’s market could be “rough” — particularly as a traditional post player in an increasingly perimeteroriented game. And if he opts out, the Knicks may be unwilling to commit money to a multi-year deal, which would shrink their 2019 cap space.
Kanter said he hadn’t yet spoken with management about a new contract, but the 25-year-old seemed confident the sides could come to an agreement.
“I didn’t want to talk to them during the season because I thought it would be a really selfish move,” Kanter said. But regarding general manager Scott Perry and team president Steve Mills, Kanter said, “They’re like family. I think it’s gonna be an easy process.
“I don’t know if they want to keep me here or not, but I think they do.”
After playing a combined six sea- sons in Utah and Oklahoma City, Kanter said he found it “weird” to think of playing somewhere other than New York now, even if it meant making more money.
“If you look at my career, I always played for small cities. I always wanted to play for bigger cities, and I finally ended up being here and it was amazing,” Kanter said. “You saw the city, you saw MSG, all the fans, all the famous people coming to the games and everything. I’ve been in the NBA for [seven] years, I don’t remember any famous people coming to my games in Utah or OKC.
“Sometimes I stopped watching the games, I was watching all the famous people sitting on the court. I was asking my teammates, ‘Who’s here? Who’s this? Who’s this?’ It’s really cool being here.
“Getting traded is always awkward, but this organization, from Day 1, opened their arms and gave me a really warm welcome. I told everybody I want to retire as a Knick. But in the end, I understand it’s a business.”