For all of the talk about his potential trade value before he was dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Enes Kanter undoubtedly proved his worth with the club down the final stretch where he emerged as a legitimate threat at the center position.
In 26 games after the All-Star Break, Kanter averaged 18.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 combined blocks and steals for Oklahoma City while shooting 56.6% from the field and making 3.5 free throws per game. As a result, he drove up his value as a restricted free agent this summer. The Thunder hope to find a way to bring back Kanter as their starting center but they aren’t the only team that is heavily pursuing him as a restricted free agent.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Basketball fans in Oklahoma City got to learn what Kanter could bring to their team in a hurry as he filled an obvious hole at the starting center spot in their lineup after arriving from the Utah Jazz. Kanter immediately stepped in as an offensive threat behind Russell Westbrook with Kevin Durant out and he will have the potential to play a key role on a championship contender if he stays with the Thunder this summer. A starting five that includes Kanter, Durant, Westbrook and Serge Ibaka would rank among the best in the NBA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGDVpgwPiKg
The Thunder have a couple of things going for them outside of the fact that they offer him the best shot at winning a ring. First off, there is a glutton of centers on the market, so the teams that are looking for a center might opt for one of the many that are free agents rather than mess with Kanter. Any offer sheet presented to him could be matched by the Thunder, so why waste the time. Secondly, Kanter may look to wait one more year for his big payday. The salary cap is expected to spike up exponentially in the coming years, so if Kanter has another strong season playing alongside a championship contender, he’ll get way more money as a free agent next season than a restricted one this summer. Those are some key factors that the Thunder have going for them.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks made it clear they wanted to be aggressive attempting to build a contender this offseason when they traded for Greivis Vasquez and they are reportedly keen on finding a way to bring Kanter to Milwaukee.
The Bucks showed a willingness to compete now when they acquired Jason Kidd as their head coach and then traded for the reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams and they have assembled a quality roster that might not be far from contending in the Eastern Conference already. Kanter, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Carter-Williams would represent a quality starting unit to build around moving forward. The center position has clearly been a weakness for the Bucks since Larry Sanders unexpectedly retired.
The Bucks nearly made it to the second round of the playoffs last season, so the feeling is adding a double-double type of player on the inside could be crucial to this team taking the next step.
Toronto Raptors
The reports out of Toronto indicate the team could be headed for major changes with Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas being shopped around and one report linking Kanter as a potential target. However, the NBA Draft came and went without a big move and that has created plenty of uncertainty for Raptors fans. Valanciunas has failed to live up to expectations since being drafted by Toronto and after watching what Kanter did for Oklahoma City, it’s no surprised they would be interested in him. Any potential deal with the Raptors would require Kanter being willing to pass on the chance to play for a championship contender over the next few seasons, so don’t be surprised if he opts to sign with either the Thunder or Bucks instead.
