Enes Kanter a distraction? 'What are we going to do, lose more games?' David Fizdale says

After being told he would start in Wednesday's game against the Rockets, Kanter didn't play a single minute in the 114-110 loss at Madison Square Garden.

"I'm trying to be a good teammate here man," Kanter told reporters after the game, via The Athletic.

He continued: "I want to play basketball, we're all competitive and 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."

Enes Kanter says he was told this morning by the Knicks he would start tonight vs the Rockets. He got a DNP instead."What they're doing to me is pretty messed up. I deserve better."Kanter pretty much asks to be traded."You either play me or let me play." pic.twitter.com/EufOCAkidF

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) January 24, 2019

By Thursday, Knicks coach David Fizdale, whose team fell to 10-36 with the Rockets loss, was able to offer a bit of humor about the situation, according to the New York Daily News.

Asked if he’s worried Kanter would become a distraction, Fizdale cracked, “What are we going to do, lose more games?”

Kanter is averaging 14.4 points and 10.8 rebounds this season but he has been inactive for four of the team's last five games. One of those games was in London where Kanter elected not to go out of fears for his safety with the nation of Turkey having taken out an arrest warrant against him.

There have been trade rumors circulating around Kanter in recent weeks including one which would send him to the Bulls in return for Jabari Parker.

Kanter is a free agent after this season. He is due about half of the remaining $18.6 million left on the final year of the four-year, $70 million contract he signed with Oklahoma City in 2015.

??‍♂️

— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) January 24, 2019