Knicks rumors: Enes Kanter being discussed with Sacramento Kings
Recent New York Knicks rumors involve center Enes Kanter, with the Sacramento Kings being mentioned as a potential landing spot.
With less than a month until the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline, New York Knicks rumors are going to pick up. New York has multiple veterans it could look to move in the coming weeks to clear minutes for younger players, as well as clearing the books for free agency this summer.
The Knicks have seven players on expiring contracts and two more veterans, Courtney Lee and Lance Thomas, they would like to move as well. Trading Tim Hardaway Jr. would also make a lot of people happy. Of the players on an expiring deal, Enes Kanter is the one that has drawn the most attention.
Kanter has made it clear that he doesn’t want to play for a team tanking for the draft. New York, though, has other plans as it looks to develop younger players. At the center position, Luke Kornet and Mitchell Robinson have taken precedence over Kanter.
As a result, Kanter could be moved prior to the trade deadline. One team that’s been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Kanter is the Sacramento Kings.
ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that the Knicks and Kings were discussing a swap that included veteran power forward Zach Randolph heading to New York. Wojnarowski added that nothing is imminent, as Sacramento would like to shed more salary in a deal.
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
The Kings are currently the only team in the NBA under the salary cap, so they could easily absorb Kanter’s contract in exchange for Randolph’s. However, being on the cusp of the playoffs in the Western Conference, they could look to add more than just Kanter in a trade with all of that space.
That could be part of why Sacramento wants to move more players, possibly Kosta Koufus or Ben McLemore, in any deal to keep their flexibility.
As for New York, this trade seems to be an odd one. Randolph has not played this season. While Kanter has his shortcomings, he is worth more than a veteran that would save them a little money this season. Other assets would have to be involved here.
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Kanter is a throwback center. Had he been drafted 10 years earlier than he was, he would be a perennial All-Star for his scoring and rebounding. However, he is a poor fit for today’s NBA for his lack of effectiveness on the perimeter on both sides of the court.
Kanter is once again stuffing the stat sheet on a nightly basis. His stats are similar to last season’s, as he is putting up 14.4 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
There is some value in that, evident from the fact that Kanter has the highest win shares on the team this season. However, his effectiveness is limited because of his poor defense.
Kanter isn’t a rim protector and struggles in the pick-and-roll. Teams will constantly attack him on that end of the court, leading to some really easy baskets.
Despite his shortcomings, Kanter could help a contending team. When things slow down in the postseason, having a player you can throw the ball into in the half-court is important. Kanter would fill that role masterfully, and he wouldn’t need big minutes to do it.
He is playing only 26.5 minutes per game and has come off the bench in 18 of 41 games so far, so a second unit role wouldn’t be anything new for him. Despite the modest playing time, Kanter is still producing.
He brings toughness to a team and doesn’t back down from anyone. Just in his time with the Knicks, he has stood up to LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He’s a great teammate and could help out some teams.
New York should see if a better market materializes. Trading him for someone such as Randolph wouldn’t help the organization in any capacity unless further assets were attached. Kanter can fill the veteran role Randolph would. Getting draft capital, or a younger player, would be ideal.
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However, making sure they do not add salary beyond this season is the ultimate goal for the Knicks. If they do in fact trade Kanter and at least accomplish that, it can still be seen as a win.