Enes Kanter opted into his contract for the 2020-21 season this week, but he will not remain with the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics have traded Kanter to the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-way deal that also involves the Memphis Grizzlies, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. The Celtics will receive a future Grizzlies draft pick while Memphis gets Mario Hezonja and Desmond Bane, who was the 30th pick in Wednesday night’s NBA Draft.
Kanter averaged 8.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game during his lone season in Boston. He was more productive during his first stint with the Blazers in 2018-19, when he averaged 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Kanter appeared in 23 games and started eight for Portland after he signed with them following his buyout from the New York Knicks.
While he is a solid rebounder and decent scorer, defense has never been Kanter’s strong suit. Many felt his presence left the Celtics lacking a solid low-post defender, though Kanter had a harsh response when Kendrick Perkins indicated as much last season.
Kanter, 28, has averaged 11.6 points per game throughout his career. He has played for six different teams across nine NBA seasons.
