Enes Kanter Warned Not to Encourage Knicks Teammates to Fight

New York Knicks big man Enes Kanter encouraged a teammate Monday night to get into a scrap during Monday night’s loss to the visiting Portland Trail Blazers.

The team’s front-office told Kanter that’s a serious no-no.

Kanter had assured the unnamed teammate that he’d take care of his fine from the NBA.

Per the NY Daily News:

“The front office told me I cannot say stuff like that,” Kanter said Tuesday following practice. “It’s a learning process. This is my second language. When I say fight, it means compete, play hard, compete. You get a tech; you get a tech. They told me I cannot say stuff like that. I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry, NBA, my fault.”

 

Kanter was on the sideline for Monday’s loss to the Trail Blazers with back spasms, but afterward relayed his message to an unnamed teammate — “Hey man, go out there and fight with somebody. It will get the energy up,” Kanter said. “No, I’m serious. If you go out there and just hit somebody or just fight with somebody, get a technical foul, I will pay for the fine, I don’t care.”

 

Kanter said Tuesday he expects to hear from the NBA. Ironically, the 25-year-old could still pay a fine even without a fight.

 

“They said they’re probably going to call,” Kanter said, before again clarifying his comment. “Just got out there play hard, have fun, compete, fight, means do your thing, play hard, as hard as you can.”

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