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Enes Kanter is hopeful to see some game action during the New York Knicks' last four games of the season but still does not know if he'll be cleared with back spasms and a wrist injury that has caused him to miss the last two games.
The Knicks are hoping to be able to shut him down for the remainder of the season and concentrate on the impending free agent negotiations, in hopes to keep him.
Article Continues Below“I love basketball. That’s why I’m out there playing,” said Kanter, who didn’t practice Thursday, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “It doesn’t matter if we have one or two games left, 10 games left or whatever, you still want to go out there and fight and battle with your teammates. It doesn’t matter four games, two games, one game, whatever.”
Kanter will switch to agent Mark Bartelstein and could avoid not picking up next season’s $18.6 million player-option, but that won't make an excuse to sit out the final four games.
“You’re always thinking the business part, but for me basketball comes first,” Kanter said. “We’ve got four games left and the Knicks are still paying me. The Knicks are paying for me to go out there and — if I’m healthy — to go out there to play. So if I feel really good, I’ll go out there and play.”
This is exactly the earn your pay mentality that the Knicks' fans and ownership have fallen in love with since his arrival as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade. Kanter has easily become a favorite in the locker room and on the court, posting averages of 14.1 points and 11 rebounds on a glowing 59.2 percent shooting.
