Getty New York Knicks center Enes Kanter
While many paid attention to Damian Lillard leading all scorers with 30 points in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 104-99 Game 1 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, don’t forget Blazers big man, Enes Kanter.
Signed by the Blazers after being bought out by the New York Knicks, Kanter has filled a viable role with the Blazers in the absence of Portland big man, Jusuf Nurkic.
In fact: Kanter is living his best life as a member of the Trail Blazers.
While Russell Westbrook and Paul George combined for 50 points in the losing effort, Kanter scored 20 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks in the Blazers’ Game 1 win.
“I tell you what, I’m all in on the Trail Blazers,” said NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst, Charles Barkley after the Blazers win on Sunday.
“I like Portland. I thought before [Jusuf] Nurkic got hurt, they had a chance of winning the West. … I still think so.”
Barkley also spoke glowingly of Kanter:
“You hear all these guys … talk about Kanter, ‘He’s not a great defender,’” Barkley said. “There’s been really good players in the NBA who weren’t great defenders. That guy is going to get you a double-double every night. All these people talk about what guys can’t do, instead of what they can do.”
But guess what? Apparently, Kanter had the chance to become a member of the Brooklyn Nets.
Nets, Celtics, Rockets are all being considered.
In an article in today’s New York Daily News, in which NBA scribe, Chris Sheridan discusses Philadelphia 76ers head coach, Brett Brown and his disconnect with the team, Sheridan details that the Nets had a chance to nab Kanter via a trade at the NBA’s trade deadline.
According to Sheridan, Nets General Manager Sean Marks, “could have traded Kenneth Faried for a legit backup center such as Enes Kanter back when he had the chance. Instead, Faried was waived and has been doing big things for the Houston Rockets.”
Word around town is that Marks preferred not to.
That’s a shame.
The Nets could have used Kanter. In their 145-123 Game 2 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers last night. Sixers big man Joel Embiid scored 23 points and hauled in 10 rebounds in the Sixers win to even the series at one apiece.
In 44 games with the Knicks, Kanter averaged14 points and 10 rebounds per contest. The Knicks were aggressive in looking to move Kanter prior to the NBA’s trade deadline last Thursday. However, Kanter’s $18.6 million expiring contract prevented teams from wanting to make any such moves.
Kanter loved his time in the Big Apple. After being bought out of his deal with the Knicks, he tweeted well wishes to the team and their fans while stating that he wishes nothing “but the best” for the orange and blue.
Staying in New York would have been great but it wasn’t in the cards.
He ultimately signed with Portland, a team that is looking to make their first appearance in the NBA Finals since 1992.
Kanter’s Blazers and his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, will go at it tonight in Game 2 of the best of seven series.
TNT’s Kenny Smith tells me that the Blazers have the fire power to go deep in the NBA Playoffs. Kanter seems to be icing on the cake.
“They can get to the Western Conference Finals,” he said.
“And they’re a clear and present agent for the Warriors because the Warriors have had trouble with those two guards even in that set. And even, until this year, Oklahoma had trouble with those two guards [Lillard and C.J. McCollum]; until this year.”