NBA’s free agency period has been a doozy in 2021, with sign-and-trades being all the rage. The Boston Celtics have only dabbled in free agency with a single veteran’s minimum signing.
That signing was the 2011 NBA Draft’s #3 pick and a former Celtic, Enes Kanter. Kanter was traded from the Cs to the Portland Trailblazers last November in a cap-clearing effort from then-general manager Danny Ainge.
With the chance to choose his fate once again, Kanter made his way to Boston once more. This time, instead of cashing in on a two-year deal worth $10 million total, the Turkish center took the veteran’s minimum.
No longer are Kanter’s talents valued the same way they were in 2019. The league has caught up to his offense, and his lack of aggressiveness in the 2021 postseason against a depleted Denver Nuggets team sapped much of his value going forward.
Fans have been split on his return, and rightfully so. You never know what you’re going to get from Kanter, and thus you never know how people will react to the unpredictability.
In honor of that, HH is here to dish the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Boston Celtics signing Enes Kanter for the second time:
The good of the Boston Celtics’ Enes Kanter signing
When he’s on–and not opposite a big that can use his length to disrupt his dribble or block his shot at the summit–Enes Kanter can be a microwave scorer. Given the lack of shot creation from the second unit, Kanter could provide instant offense in a pinch.
Experience playing alongside the Jays and Marcus Smart is also a plus.