Boston Celtics: Enes Kanter is most certainly the team’s starting center… for now

Recently, rumors have surfaced that the Boston Celtics may have a problem on their hands choosing who will start at the team’s center position in 2019-20. As of this moment, we at the Houdini believe this should not even be a question.

Over the waining months of this offseason, there have been many questions over the strength of the Boston Celtics’ front court. With the losses of Al Horford and Aron Baynes, it is apparent Beantown’s big man depth heading into 2019 is not as strong as it was during the year’s prior.

However, though the center position may have been weakened, it is by no means void of talent. They still have Robert Williams and Daniel Theis in tow. They have un-drafted free agent Tacko Fall coming into training camp. They have the services of Frenchman Vincent Poirier. And, with their second biggest offseason acquisition, they managed to sign 27-year-old big Enes Kanter.

With this eclectic quintet, there is plenty of intrigue but also heaps of uncertainty. Most recently, the Celtics Blog came out with a piece focusing on which of these talents could potentially start at center for the Boston Celtics this upcoming season. Frankly, with all due respect, this should not even be a question.

Coming into the 2019-20 campaign, Boston’s best option at the starting five is, in fact, Kanter. He has the most experience playing substantial minutes in the NBA and is a guaranteed nightly double-double threat. If the Celtics are in a “win now” mindset, then their best coarse of action would be to throw their most talented players (by position) together out on the hardwood: this would include the services of Kanter.

Now, most signs seem to point in the direction of the Turkish born big being the team’s starting center heading into the upcoming season. However, this does not mean that this will be the case come season’s end.

Brad Stevens, though, has been known to have fluid lineups. Throughout last season we saw many different combinations on the floor. Some arraignments consisted of Horford and Baynes sharing the floor together while others saw no player listed above 6-8 being found on the hardwood.

Don’t be surprised to see Stevens use Kanter sparingly at times due to being a defensive mismatch against specific opponents.  Certain matchup’s may even call for the 27-year-old to ride the pine more often than he would like.

Referring back to Celtics Blog’s piece on who should start at the five spot heading into 2019-20, perhaps the better question would be who will be the starting center come April when the Boston Celtics begin their quest for championship number 18.

That said, when Boston hits the floor at the Wells Fargo Arena on October 23rd, it will be Enes Kanter standing at the 76ers logo for the opening tip of the 2019-20 season.