Portland Trail Blazers Rumors: Enes Kanter Gets Max Deal In Free Agency, OKC Can Still Match Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers rumors have the team offering Enes Kanter a max contract. The Blazers gave Kanter an offer sheet that is reportedly worth $70 million over four years. A report from ESPN on Thursday, July 9, indicates that the Oklahoma City Thunder can now match that offer sheet. As Kanter is a restricted free agent, it gives OKC the chance to match any offer he receives in free agency. Once Kanter officially signs the deal with the Blazers, OKC has three days to match it.
This is a very bold move by a Blazers team that is trying to rebuild. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the team lost LaMarcus Aldridge to the San Antonio Spurs this offseason. He wasn’t the only one, as Wesley Matthews signed with the Dallas Mavericks and Robin Lopez signed with the New York Knicks. It left the Blazers with a lot of money that might have just been invested in Kanter. It also presented a possible opportunity to force a division rival to spend more money than it wanted to during the NBA offseason.
Last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Enes Kanter as part of a three-team trade. The 22-year-old played 26 games for them in the regular season, averaging 31.1 minutes, 18.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. He did it while shooting 56.6 percent from the field and 77.6 percent from the free throw line. These stats show Kanter might be ready to become a star in the NBA, showing that these Portland Trail Blazers rumors might make a lot of sense even for a rebuilding franchise.
Selected with the No. 3 pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, it’s possible that Enes Kanter is ready to become an All-Star in the NBA. He has improved in each of his seasons in the league and will certainly get a lot of playing time in the 2015-16 NBA season as well. The question now becomes which city will he be playing in. It’s certainly possible that the Blazers could win out due to the hefty amount of money the team has put up, but now OKC has every opportunity to match it.
When it comes to salaries that the Oklahoma City Thunder have to deal with, fans might scratch their heads if the team heads deep into luxury tax territory. The front office had claimed it couldn’t afford James Harden, but might now offer a max contract to Enes Kanter instead. As it stands, OKC already has the second highest payroll in the NBA due to the contracts of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka. As such, it’s possible that these Portland Trail Blazers rumors could actually mean Paul Allen has his new center.
[Image Source: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]
