Boston Celtics minutes battle #2: Enes Kanter vs. Bruno Fernando
We have a very similar narrative with our second preseason battle between Enes Kanter and Bruno Fernando. Kanter, like Horford, has experience playing for the Cs as a veteran member of the frontcourt. Fernando, like Williams, is defensively adept but offensively raw. Fernando may have enough offense to get by, but Kanter doesn’t possess enough defensive fortitude to stay on the floor when the going gets tough.
Neither player should be relied upon during the 2021-22 season too heavily, and the odds are overwhelmingly in the favor of that not being the case. That said, injuries happen. And we’re not talking about that in just the long haul sense. Day-to-day ailments to an injury-prone Williams and Horford, who is on the wrong side of 35, making the need for another big a moderately pressing one.
Ipso facto, only one of the newly acquired reserve big men can find time on the floor for Ime Udoka in the coming season. While Fernando is listed at both power forward and center, he does not possess the floor-spacing necessary to be anything but a 5. Grant Williams has shown the ability to, and could play his way into the pivot spot in small-ball lineups.
Preseason will determine which guy can fortify their weaknesses enough to get consideration for more minutes.