New York Knicks: 3 players facing the most pressure in 2018-19

2. Enes Kanter

This is not the “Mario Hezonja” kind of pressure. Enes Kanter does not need to show his worth to the league or his team. This is the “contract year” kind of pressure.

Just a couple of days before the 2018 free agency started, Kanter exercised his player option in order to remain with the New York Knicks for the 2018-19 season. After a very productive season, both parties were happy with his decision to remain in NY.

https://twitter.com/Enes_Kanter/status/1012745048503541760

It seems pretty clear that Kanter loves it in New York. On the court, he looks like he’s having a lot of fun playing basketball, and his hysterical off-the-court tweets would easily prove that point.

During 2019 free agency, the New York Knicks are expected to have a leading role when it comes to making big-name signings. As mentioned before, both Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler have been linked to NY, as the Knicks will most likely try to create as much cap space as possible for day one of free agency next summer.

This is where Kanter’s pressure rises to the clouds. Even though the Knicks seem to love having him at the moment, the same might not be true a year from now.

By playing at a borderline All-Star level, Kanter will be trying to prove that the Knicks need him long-term, or that another team should invest in him. If he can elevate his game to the level his Twitter game is at, he’ll be in great shape.