Enes Kanter exercises $18.6M option with Knicks

New York Knickscenter Enes Kanter has made it official, exercising his $18.6 million player option for the 2018-19 season, his manager confirmed to ESPN on Friday.

Kanter had referenced his decision earlier Friday afternoon on Twitter.

ESPN reported on Thursday that Kanter would opt in unless there was a significant change in the free-agent market.

With Kanter on the roster for the 2018-19 season, the Knicks will have limited money to offer free agents this summer.

New York is currently projected to have an $8.6 million non-tax midlevel exception and a $3.4 million biannual exception to offer 2018 free agents.

Kanter will likely start at center for New York next season. He averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds in 71 starts for the Knicks, who finished the season 23-59.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Kanter was the first Knicks player to average a double-double since Tyson Chandler in 2012-13, Chandler's only All-Star season. Kanter finished fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game with 3.8.

The Knicks acquired Kanter from the Oklahoma City Thunder last September as part of a trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to the Thunder.