Shortly after learning he was being traded from Oklahoma City to the New York Knicks, center Enes Kanter posted a video thanking the Thunder organization, its fans and the city, and imploring the team to beat the Golden State Warriors.
"Please beat the Warriors for me," Kanter said in a heartfelt goodbye video posted to his Instagram account Saturday afternoon. "Please, I'm gonna be watching that game, so please beat the Warriors for me."
Kanter is set to be traded to New York as part of a deal that will send 10-time All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony to the Thunder, sources told ESPN.
"When I lost my family and when I lost my home, you guys gave me family and you guys gave me home," Kanter said in the video. "So that's why Oklahoma, this organization, the whole state, will be always in my heart."
Kanter, who is from Turkey, was frequently critical of his home country's leadership and had his Turkish passport rescinded in May.
Kanter, 25, was a first-round pick of the Utah Jazz in 2011 and played for the Jazz for three-plus seasons before being dealt to the Thunder in 2015. He averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds for Oklahoma City last season, despite playing only 21.3 minutes per game.