Enes Kanter Switches Agents, Will Consider Declining $18.6M

[RealGM Wiretap]

Enes Kanter is considering not picking up his $18.6 million player option for the 18-19 season with the New York Knicks.

Kanter also switched to agent Mark Bartelstein. Kanter was previously represented by Max Ergul.

Kanter has missed the Knicks’ past two games with a sore lower back and right wrist injury suffered last week versus the 76ers.

“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.

“It’d be really selfish to think about opting in or opting out or thinking about my contract and not playing, giving up on my teammates and my team. It’d be really selfish. For me the Knicks are still paying me, I’m still part of this team. If I’m still healthy I’m just going to go out there and fight.”

Kanter has had a productive season for the Knicks following his trade from the Thunder.

Via Brian Lewis/New York Post

[Scalabrine]

I'm actually one of the few guys on this board that think Kanter is a valuable player, but unless it's not about money and he just really doesn't want to play for the Knicks anymore (would be very surprising given everything he's said this year), opting out of that deal would be very foolish. I doubt he'd get a deal worth half of that from a playoff team.

[the_process]

What a God-send for the Knicks. An agent got in his ear and convinced Kanter he could get paid.

I’d be absolutely stunned if an offense only C in this depressed market gets more than the MLE. Maybe he’d rather have the long term security? I’d take the 18.6M because I’m never getting that AAV ever again, and then going out and looking for an MLE deal next year. Agents are giving out some awful advice lately trying desperately to get themselves a payday.

[Furinkazan]

lmao he would be out of his mind and Shabaz Muhammed level of IQ if he decline that option
his next contract will be around 18/3 years at best if anything

[Plutonashfan]

Dude plays zero D and is grossly overpaid and wants to opt-out?WTH

[MaxRider]

Did he check how many team has salary cap space yet?

[Bentley1225]

Assuming his market value is lets say 3 years, $36-45 million, what team under the cap is going to give him that ACV of 12-15 million?

Utah: Not likely
Orlando: Have Vucevic & Biyombo already
Brooklyn: Have Allen & Mozgov already
Sacramento: Have Stein & Koufos already
Houston: Saving space for a bigger UFA
Dallas: Maybe
Atlanta: Not likely
Philadelphia: Saving space for a bigger UFA
Chicago: Already have Lopez & Felicio
Phoenix: Not likely with draft picks they have
Los Angeles: Maybe

I only see Dallas and Los Angeles even being remotely interested. Take the PO for 2018-19 and wait until cap goes up in 2019 off-season.

[BasketballJosh]

Utah: Not likely

Make that a HELL no. We don't want his whiny a$$ back here in Utah.

[WargamesX]

Assuming his market value is lets say 3 years, $36-45 million, what team under the cap is going to give him that ACV of 12-15 million?

Utah: Not likely
Orlando: Have Vucevic & Biyombo already
Brooklyn: Have Allen & Mozgov already
Sacramento: Have Stein & Koufos already
Houston: Saving space for a bigger UFA
Dallas: Maybe
Atlanta: Not likely
Philadelphia: Saving space for a bigger UFA
Chicago: Already have Lopez & Felicio
Phoenix: Not likely with draft picks they have
Los Angeles: Maybe

I only see Dallas and Los Angeles even being remotely interested. Take the PO for 2018-19 and wait until cap goes up in 2019 off-season.

On the flip the cap is not going up significantly next year, and there are a ton of bigs on the market in 2019. Plus it will be a year after a strong Big Man Draft. This year he doesn't have to compete with any of that, and he's putting up a double-double.

[NoZoLakers]

He knows nyk is gona give him 80mill over 4yrs

[jstudabaka]

Please decline

[Sam195]

if he is smart he will negotiate an extension with that option like what Lamarcus Aldridge did with Spurs. And what George Hill and Derrick Rose failed to do with Jazz and Knicks. That way you keep your guaranteed money but don't have to wait another full season to test free agency. It is even better if the last year of the extension is an opt out.

[Laimbeer]

Please, God, let this happen. We'd get the amusement of some team actually paying the guy or Kanter left hanging.

[gordoncatrell]

A-LIST in his mind only.

[oceanlife]

if he is smart he will negotiate an extension with that option like what Lamarcus Aldridge did with Spurs. And what George Hill and Derrick Rose failed to do with Jazz and Knicks. That way you keep your guaranteed money but don't have to wait another full season to test free agency. It is even better if the last year of the extension is an opt out.

This is a really smart answer. By working with his option Kanter can negotiate long term stability AND stay highly paid all the while helping his team out. Win-win as long as Dolan doesn't get greedy.

As the other posters pointed out Kanter is not going to command a huge amount on the open market. Teams right now want defense from their big men. In decades past, teams wanted their offense to grind it out in the post, get the other bigs in trouble, and control the paint/tempo from that point out. Now NBA offenses get the more efficiency from their wings shooting three's and slashing without the turnovers that come with running a post game. Even if a team really wanted to run an old post up offense, the money isn't there to pay Kanter. But even if the money was there he is going to need to compete with guys like Randle.

[PeoplesChamp]

[gordoncatrell]

if he is smart he will negotiate an extension with that option like what Lamarcus Aldridge did with Spurs. And what George Hill and Derrick Rose failed to do with Jazz and Knicks. That way you keep your guaranteed money but don't have to wait another full season to test free agency. It is even better if the last year of the extension is an opt out.

This is a really smart answer. By working with his option Kanter can negotiate long term stability AND stay highly paid all the while helping his team out. Win-win as long as Dolan doesn't get greedy.

As the other posters pointed out Kanter is not going to command a huge amount on the open market. Teams right now want defense from their big men. In decades past, teams wanted their offense to grind it out in the post, get the other bigs in trouble, and control the paint/tempo from that point out. Now NBA offenses get the more efficiency from their wings shooting three's and slashing without the turnovers that come with running a post game. Even if a team really wanted to run an old post up offense, the money isn't there to pay Kanter. But even if the money was there he is going to need to compete with guys like Randle.

NYK would be wise not to pay above 12-14m/yr 4yrs...if he walks and another Org gives him 15+multiyr; NYK would have dodged a bullet...

[cheese318]

Not many teams have available cap space this coming season but if teams had money available I could definitely see Kanter get 10-15 Million a season. You are acting as if the man is 35 years old. He’s just turning 26 in May. I think he should opt in to the contract and maybe he will be traded to a playoff contender or just eat his time for one season in NYC. He will still see solid offers next season if he stays healthy and plays like he did this season

What a God-send for the Knicks. An agent got in his ear and convinced Kanter he could get paid.

I’d be absolutely stunned if an offense only C in this depressed market gets more than the MLE. Maybe he’d rather have the long term security? I’d take the 18.6M because I’m never getting that AAV ever again, and then going out and looking for an MLE deal next year. Agents are giving out some awful advice lately trying desperately to get themselves a payday.

[the_process]

Not many teams have available cap space this coming season but if teams had money available I could definitely see Kanter get 10-15 Million a season. You are acting as if the man is 35 years old. He’s just turning 26 in May. I think he should opt in to the contract and maybe he will be traded to a playoff contender or just eat his time for one season in NYC. He will still see solid offers next season if he stays healthy and plays like he did this season

What a God-send for the Knicks. An agent got in his ear and convinced Kanter he could get paid.

I’d be absolutely stunned if an offense only C in this depressed market gets more than the MLE. Maybe he’d rather have the long term security? I’d take the 18.6M because I’m never getting that AAV ever again, and then going out and looking for an MLE deal next year. Agents are giving out some awful advice lately trying desperately to get themselves a payday.

Pray tell which team is paying an offense only C who can be played off the floor in the playoffs more than the MLE? Especially when approximately 20 teams are hopelessly capped out??

I’ll wait.

[cheese318]

Mozgov & Mahimi make how much again? Let’s be realistic when big man become available they usually get paid an absurd amount of salary. You just cannot teach height. Some deserved some not so much. I’d rather pay Kanter at 26 $10-$15 Million for 3-4 years over Mozgov & Mahimi.

Some of the salaries below are because of the increased salary cap year which of course paid Mozgov/Mahimi. Regardless I just don’t see how Kanter becomes a $7 Million player being very young who can score the bucket. TT is a defender who plays no offense. I’d rather have Kanter quite honestly as TT looks scared on offense and does not bring enough anymore on the defensive side of the ball.

Kevin Love really is not a traditional center so in reality maybe he should be PF/C but I believe his increase in scoring is because he is playing the center position more this year creating more space from his defender on his long distance shot.

Top Salaries 2017 NBA - Center

1. Al Horford - $27,734,405
2. Hassan Whiteside - $23,775,506
3. Andre Drummond - $23,775,506
4. Dwight Howard - $23,500,000
5. DeAndre Jordan - $22,642,350
6. Brook Lopez -$22,642,350
7. Marc Gasol - $22,642,350
8. Kevin Love - $22,642,350
9. Steven Adams - $22,471,910
10. Rudy Gobert -$21,974,719
11. Enes Kanter - $20,566,801
12. Demarcus Cousins -$18,063,850
13. Joakhim Noah - $17,765,000
14. Bismack Biyombo - $17,000,000
15. Ian Mahimi -$16,661,641
16. Tristan Thompson -$16,400,000
17. Jonas Valanciunas -$15,460,674
18. Timofey Mozgov - $15,280,000
19. Gorgui Dieng -$14,112,360
20. Mason Plumlee - $14,041,096

Not many teams have available cap space this coming season but if teams had money available I could definitely see Kanter get 10-15 Million a season. You are acting as if the man is 35 years old. He’s just turning 26 in May. I think he should opt in to the contract and maybe he will be traded to a playoff contender or just eat his time for one season in NYC. He will still see solid offers next season if he stays healthy and plays like he did this season

What a God-send for the Knicks. An agent got in his ear and convinced Kanter he could get paid.

I’d be absolutely stunned if an offense only C in this depressed market gets more than the MLE. Maybe he’d rather have the long term security? I’d take the 18.6M because I’m never getting that AAV ever again, and then going out and looking for an MLE deal next year. Agents are giving out some awful advice lately trying desperately to get themselves a payday.

Pray tell which team is paying an offense only C who can be played off the floor in the playoffs more than the MLE? Especially when approximately 20 teams are hopelessly capped out??

I’ll wait.