The New York Knicks and Enes Kanter have diverging goals and a trade to the Sacramento Kings is emerging as a possible resolution.
Enes Kanter and the New York Knicks are not on the same page. The Knicks aren’t tanking, but they are shifting the focus of this season to player development. Kanter’s main focus is on winning.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Knicks and Sacramento Kings are discussing the potential of a deal swapping Kanter for former Knick Zach Randolph.
New York and Sacramento discussing an Enes Kanter-Zach Randolph trade of expiring contracts, but nothing close yet, league sources tell ESPN. Kings would want to send out more expirings in a deal. A third team could be helpful.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2019
It’s unclear if this deal will materialize, but it would be a step in the right direction for the Knicks. It would give Kanter an opportunity to play for a team making a playoff push. Furthermore, it would free up time for Luke Kornet and Mitchell Robinson to see more time on the floor.
Trading Kanter would be a win for both sides. But if the Knicks can manage to sneak Courtney Lee or Tim Hardaway Jr. into a deal, this trade would become a home run. The Knicks still need to clear some cap space if they plan to pursue a max free agent next summer.
Trading Lee or Hardaway would be the quickest way to clear the requisite cap space needed to pursue Kevin Durant.
There’s familiarity on both sides for this trade. Randolph played for Knicks head coach David Fizdale while both were with the Memphis Grizzlies. Furthermore, Lee played for Kings head coach Dave Joerger while he was in Memphis as well.
As Wojnarowski points out, nothing is close yet, but this may be the best opportunity the Knicks have to unload some of their veterans before the trade deadline.
