One of the Thunder’s most exciting players on the roster right now is backup center Enes Kanter. Kanter found his way to Oklahoma City by way of a trade on February 19, 2015, coming from the Utah Jazz, where he was drafted third overall in 2011. Kanter made an immediate impact for the Thunder as he made his debut two days after the trade, recording a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds in a 110-103 win against the Charlotte Hornets.
Enes Kanter has been a welcome addition to the Thunder as he has been an absolute monster in the paint. Last season, despite only playing 21 minutes per game, Kanter finished third on the team in scoring with 12.7 points per game and second on the team in rebounding with 8.1 rebounds per game. Kanter is especially effective at rebounding the ball on the offensive end. Last season, he finished first in the NBA in offensive rebound percent with 16.7%. Basically, if Enes is on the court, and an offensive rebound is available, he has a really good chance at grabbing it.
Along with Steven Adams, Kanter is also known as the second half of the Stache Bros. What likely began as a couple of teammates having some fun with their facial hair has now turned into a widespread, well-known facet of the duo’s basketball image. Kanter and Adams are a complement to one another when it comes to their styles of play. Kanter is an offensive specialist who is not that great at defense, while Adams is a more well-rounded player who is an excellent defender. Together, the Stache Bros are a hoot off the court and a force to be reckoned with on it.
The Thunder paid a steep price to keep Kanter in Oklahoma City. In the summer of 2015, Oklahoma City had a decision to make: pay Enes Kanter big bucks or let him walk. The Thunder opted to spend the money as they matched an offer sheet by the Portland Trailblazers of a four-year $70 million max contract. This could be a problem for the Thunder if they want to use Kanter as a centerpiece in a future trade, but hopefully he will stay in Oklahoma City, improve on his defense, and continue to destroy other teams on the offensive end.
Article written by Zack Low. Follow @TheThunderGuys on Twitter.