Celtics Get a Steal With Enes Kanter

Former Kentucky Wildcat Enes Kanter found a new home on Monday afternoon, joining the Boston Celtics on a two-year deal. That’s quite a bargain.

Enes Kanter has joined the Boston Celtics. Without further ado, our requisite sourcing:

Per Shams Charania:

Even the sources have sources. Bananas. And all of the sources are reporting that Enes Kanter is swapping oceans and signing with the Boston Celtics after his half-season stint in Portland with the Trail Blazers. The contract is said to be worth $10 million over two years. For someone who played a pivotal starting role on a Western Conference Finals side, that’s a bargain.

Kanter, despite being a tragic figure of sorts throughout his basketball playing career in America, is actually an above average NBA center. Kanter scores efficiently with touch around the rim and is one of the league’s mightiest when it comes to grabbing rebounds. Despite notorious defensive malignities, Kanter’s finishing ability and tough dude characteristics still have him as a playoff-worthy big man, which is exactly what Boston needs.

After losing All-Star center Al Horford and trustworthy bench stalwart Aron Baynes over the past few weeks, the Celtics were left with the inexperienced trio of Robert Williams, Guershon Yabusele, and Daniel Theis as their only center options; unless they plan to run small-ball lineups with Grant Williams at the five–a scoff-worthy suggestion. That roster of names for your starting center spot simply won’t suffice on a playoff team, which Boston intends to be. With the max offer sheet Boston GM Danny Ainge agreed to with his newest All-Star point guard, Kemba Walker, the Celtics’ cap space vanished instantly.

In dire need of a quality big man and with little funds to pull off such an addition, Ainge had to look to the second tier of bigs, those with checkered NBA pasts and uncertain to contribute in immensely positive measures. Ainge found his man, though, in Enes Kanter, bringing him on board for the next two seasons. Let me say this: Boston got a steal. $5 Million a year for Kanter is chump change compared to the production and selfless attitude he will bring to the table.

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Kanter is one of the most lovable players in the entire NBA. It’s impossible not to love someone who goes one-versus-all against his home country, practices severe Ramadan fasting during the postseason, and became Hakeem Olajuwon’s best friend (okay, that might be a stretch, but still). In addition to that hurricane of adversity, Kanter played through an obviously painful shoulder injury throughout the 2019 NBA Playoffs. Enes is Rocky in the first movie after Apollo downs him in the 14th round and dances around like he won, only to look back with an all-time are you f—ing kidding me face while Rocky hobbles back up and swings his gloves, huffing, “c’mon!” The announcer is just flabbergasted and wonders out loud “what is keeping him up bill…I don’t know.” And Adrian has a pale look of oh my god, my future husband is a maniac! It’s such a fantastic scene. I’ll just go ahead and link it here:

By the end of that Denver series, Kanter was a roaming corpse. He had medical tape wrapped around his upper body like a python and I’m sure he was exhausted from dieting like a French swimsuit model despite being a 7-foot basketball player. But you know what? Through the ludicrous circumstances, Kanter remained a steady presence on the court and completely altered what looked like a lost season for Portland after the season-ending injury to starting center Jusuf Nurkic.

Kanter is one of the toughest dudes in basketball and he’s being paired with one of America’s most unforgiving cities on a cheap deal. It’s a match made in heaven. Kanter will be loved at the TD Garden. Another franchise should have picked him up on a longer and more lucrative contract; but oh well, he settled in a perfect situation. Go Enes!