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Enes Kanter Trade Working Out For Him And The Jazz

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 13, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (34) dunks the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (34) dunks the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Enes Kanter
Mar 16, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) grabs the rebound away from Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) during the third quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Utah Jazz won the game 94-66. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /

From Gobert’s Perspective:

Kanter’s value has been on the rise since the trade, but Rudy Gobert’s stock has shot through the roof and all the way into outer space, back to the planet of freakishly athletic aliens that Gobert is really from. (“France?” I’m not buying it.)

The emergence of Gobert is the biggest reason the front office felt it could deal away Kanter. Though Utah didn’t get as much return for Kanter as many were expecting, the biggest acquisition the Jazz got out of the deal was allowing Gobert to unleash his full potential on the rest of the helpless, unsuspecting league.

The French Rejection’s numbers were impressive before the trade when he was playing limited minutes off the bench. Now they’ve leapt off the page and into Most Improved Player of the Year territory:

  • Before the Kanter trade: 53 games, 21.9 MPG, 6.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.2 BPG, 1.1 APG, 0.7 SPG, 62.9 FG% (2.7-4.2 FGA)
  • After the Kanter trade: 14 games, 33.3 MPG, 9.8 PPG, 14.4 RPG, 2.9 BPG, 1.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 54.9 FG% (3.6-6.5 FGA)

Check out those numbers again. Once he improves on the offensive end, he’s practically a shoo-in for future All-Star Games and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

The Jazz have a team option for Gobert through 2016-17, but after that he’ll be an unrestricted free agent.

That means Utah will enjoy the defensive prowess of the Gobstopper for quite awhile, which will allow him to grow with a young, talented core that’s starting to show real signs of potential. Since the Kanter trade, Gobert’s stellar shot blocking ability has moved the Jazz from sixth in the NBA in blocks per game (5.8) to first (6.7).

Gobert may have to wait awhile, but a huge payday is coming. He’ll need to develop his offense, but he’s already an elite defensive presence that is anchoring what has become the league’s stingiest D.

For the Jazz, the Thunder, Kanter and Gobert, the Enes Kanter trade seems to be working out pretty darn well so far.

All statistics courtesy of NBA.com

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