David Fizdale had a hilarious and brutally honest response to a Knicks player's trade demand
- The New York Knicks are stupendous, gloriously, and humiliatingly terrible at basketball, but that may be the least of the team's worries as of late.
- Knicks center Enes Kanter has stirred up some drama for the New York franchise by (sort of) demanding a trade after his playing time dipped considerably.
- When asked if Kanter's antics would be a distraction to his young team, head coach David Fizdale quipped "What are we going to do, lose more games?"
- Kanter has since reportedly been made available for a trade alongside teammates Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr.
The New York Knicks are having a tumultuous season on the court, but the drama surrounding the team outside of Madison Square Garden may be of even greater concern.
In 24 hours, head coach David Fizdale was ejected from a game, rising star rookie Allonzo Trier argued with fans via an NSFW direct message on Twitter, and Mario Hezonja chastised teammate Enes Kanter for failing to join the team's huddle during their 114-110 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Kanter's behavior likely was due to his recent frustrations with the team due to reduced playing time. Kanter did not play against the Rockets Wednesday night, which resulted in him all but publicly requesting a trade.
"I want to play basketball," Kanter told ESPN's Ian Begley. "We're all competitors. I want to play basketball, so just if you're going to play me here, play me. If not, then just get me out of here."
When asked if he thought Kanter's comments would be a distraction to his young team, Fizdale roasted himself and the Knicks, who sits just a single game out of last place in the standings.
"What are we going to do, lose more games?" Fizdale quipped. "I shouldn't make light of it. Sometimes you gotta laugh."
Check out his full comments below:
The Knicks have since made Kanter, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Courtney Lee available for trade, per the New York Times' Marc Stein.