Enes Kanter will be playing next season in a New York Knicks uniform and he has made it clear numerous times throughout the season.
Enes Kanter definitely wants to play for the New York Knicks. His contract contains a player option for next season, but he is likely to opt in and collect his $18 million from the Knicks. Earlier this season, Kanter playfully yet somewhat seriously stated that he wants to retire in New York.
Again, he is talking about wanting to continue his tenure with the Knicks. Kanter told Newsday’s Al Iannazzone, “This is the place I want to be. I’ve said it from the beginning because I know the organization. I love the city, lot of Turkish people. With KP or without KP, I want to be here for sure.”
Although Kanter was forthright with his love for New York and the Knicks organization, he was slightly less open with his plans to opt in or opt out of his contract. He told Iannazzone, “I’m not saying I’m opting in or opting out. I’m going to focus on this season, finish this season. I don’t even have an agent yet. I’ll get an agent first and talk to him about [it].”
It would be a strange move for Kanter to declare his decision at this point in the season, even if he is completely certain he is opting in. It doesn’t look like anyone would be willing to give him more than the $18 million he is due next season, but stranger things have happened.
One thing that we know for certain is that Kanter knows how to woo the New York crowd. He plays hard night in and night out, sometimes even when he’s injured, and he is always quick to profess his love for the city and his fans. It’s a bit easier to overlook any deficiencies on the court when a guy like Kanter can win over the fans.
