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Should The Oklahoma City Thunder Match Portland’s Offer For Enes Kanter?

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 28, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (34) reacts from the bench area during the first half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (34) reacts from the bench area during the first half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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Enes Kanter
Mar 4, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (34) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel (4) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Jason Richardson (23) during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

The Pros

There are obvious benefits to the Thunder keeping a 6’11” center who’s a walking double-double and already one of the best back-to-the-basket players in the NBA at age 23. In Oklahoma City last season, Kanter averaged 18.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in 26 appearances while shooting a career high 56.6 percent from the field. He also posted a Player Efficiency Rating of 24.9.

OKC had to give up Reggie Jackson in order to bring Kanter on board, so it’s not like the Thunder would be okay with just letting him walk for nothing. It’d also be pretty hard to explain to Westbrook and Durant — particularly right before KD’s free agency — why the Thunder are letting a regular 18-11 guy walk out the door.

The biggest gripe about the Thunder’s formula over the last few years has been that their offense is far too reliant on Durant and Westbrook isolation plays, which is a valid complaint. Kanter gives OKC a legitimate post presence that they can feed down low for easy, efficient looks when they need a bucket.

Kanter turned OKC’s middling offense (102.6 points per 100 possessions) into the league’s fifth ranked offense (107.8 points per 100 possessions) after his arrival. In addition to Kanter being nowhere near his prime, he’ll have the chance to grow under new head coach Billy Donovan and there’s hope he could improve on the defensive end, the biggest reason pundits are wondering whether OKC should match.

Finally, we have to bear in mind that even though Oklahoma City is gearing toward a hefty luxury tax bill, Kanter’s deal won’t look as bad two years from now, when the NBA’s salary cap has increased by about $40 million. The Thunder aren’t deciding whether or not to sign Kanter to a max deal; they’re deciding whether it’s better to match a max offer sheet or to let him walk for nothing.

Giving up assets for free generally isn’t good business, so even if Kanter winds up being a bust, the Thunder could just pursue a trade and get something out of the deal then.

Next: The Cons

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