New York Knicks: Three reasons to keep Luke Kornet in starting lineup

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 19: Luke Kornet #2 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 19, 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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New York Knicks Enes Kanter (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Enes Kanter is not the future

Kanter already left the starting lineup once, but when the New York Knicks won three consecutive games with him at center, Fizdale solidified his spot for the foreseeable future, until the team began to lose games at a bottom of the NBA rate.

In whichever role the Knicks place Kanter in, he’s not the future of the team. It starts and ends with his $18.62 million that exits the salary cap after the 2018-19 season. This figure opens over half of New York’s projected $29 million towards free agency.

Even with Kanter on the roster, the Knicks can still look at the alternative options at center, including Kornet and the injured Mitchell Robinson. Both are younger choices that present more upside.

With Kornet, he did not enter the starting lineup with a half season’s worth of NBA games played. That’s too few to determine where he stands, while Kanter has played over 100 games with the Knicks and is in his seventh season.

The Knicks can see what they have in their 23-year-old player who’s on a one-year deal. He may not be the future, but it’s worth the temporary investment from the coaching staff. If there’s never an opportunity, the team can’t figure out the player they re-signed in the offseason.

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