Jazz after Enes Kanter?

[Luigi]

I hear Kanter is giving Utah the cold shoulder. Mentioned Washington, Minni, and Cleveland in interviews (leaving out Utah), and then stood us up for his scheduled interview.

I reeeally hate international primadonnas.

[Xanthis]

We interviewed and worked him out in March when KOC was in Kentucky. Also he mentioned those 3 teams, but said he likes all the teams. He also said he is going to do more workouts after the combine and it is the kids birthday. Maybe, just maybe our interview was later in the day and the kid wants to go celebrate his birthday?

I wouldn't read too much into this at this point. If he continually dodges interviews then yes you start to wonder.

[Luigi]

I hope that's all there is to it.

[spoonhoops]

I think there may be a soft J in there as well.

[carrottop12]

He's spending all day with only the Jazz on June second.

So all of those reports that he skipped were probably double sided. Teams get a limited number of interviews at the combine, since the Jazz new they were going to take a much closer look at him they probably decided to skip a meaningless interview today to have a more complete process on the second.

[eLo]

Kanter measurements look really well i dont think that T'wolves gonna pass on him, although his reach/wing is worse than both Fav and Al. By the way i dont understand why we supposed to pick him with that front that we have, he is not better prospect than Fav is and i don see chances to move Big Al after that season after hove good that guy cooperate with the whole organization.

[illyasova]

He's spending all day with only the Jazz on June second.

So all of those reports that he skipped were probably double sided. Teams get a limited number of interviews at the combine, since the Jazz new they were going to take a much closer look at him they probably decided to skip a meaningless interview today to have a more complete process on the second.

From the HoopsReport tweet, Ryan Feldman

Enes Kanter's first workout will be with the Utah Jazz on June 3. I just spoke with Kanter's agent.

[erudite23]

Its unfortunate if this is true, but I am a bit skeptical. The problem here is that Enes has become the pivotal character in this draft. As we move forward, the question is going to become whether or not he is on par with Irving and Williams and that those 3 comprise the top tier of eligible draftees, or whether he is the "best of the rest," so to speak. Since there is so much mystery surrounding him and so little actual substantive data about him, its going to be hard to peg him. I mean, this guy could actually be every bit the prospect that Blake Griffin was, for instance, and we would have no way of knowing. We do know that he has NBA center height and strength, and that he has had the disposition to go along with it in the past. But we don't know how he plays!

I mean, I can't get enough coverage of this guy, because he is so intriguing. You can only get so much of a picture from watching him shoot jumpers alone in a gym, or pivot and spin into a baby hook unguarded, or run the floor in a workout setting. That goes only so far. We don't know ANYTHING about how he responds in a competitive environment. Whether he can handle the speed of the American game, how he performs under pressure (is he clutch?), or if he's a dog that will fight you to the death or a paper tiger that begs off when **** really gets serious.

The answers to all of these questions are going to determine whether or not he is an All-NBA performer or whether he is, well, Spencer Hawes. Yet we won't have any indication as to those answers until well after he is drafted.

The guy has the body. He has the skills. From what we've seen of him in game situations, he actually appears to be the type of player who's best attributes can't be quantified or measured outside of an actual game setting. So, basically, we're ****. We really can't afford to pass on him and risk letting him go to Cleveland, Toronto or Washington. If we do that and he becomes a great NBA player, it will be a major blow to the franchise. But if we take him, he could kill us by not being anywhere near worthy of the pick. Its a scary position to be in. I would much rather find a way to get up and take Irving, who is as sure a thing as you're going to see in the NBA draft these days.

[carrottop12]

I hope the wolves take kanter and solve our problems for us.

[erudite23]

I hope the wolves take kanter and solve our problems for us.

I agree. What I REALLY hope is that Cleveland decides to take him or, failing that, Williams instead. If Irving is available at #2 I think we can swing a package with Minnesota for Irving. They might like the idea of trying taking Harris on, or something like that. I can't possibly say how disappointed I was when the Jazz's logo came out of that #3 envelope. Top 2 would have completely changed everything.

[Litany]

Article at DN that talks about Kanter. Apparently Kanter used to get up early to watch the Jazz games so he could see Okur play. He talks about Utah being a good place to play. Who knows. Like some have said before, I hope he goes #2 so we get Williams. That would be my dream. otherwise it is between Kanter and Knight I think. I hope they go with Knight, but we will see.

While growing up, Enes Kanter knew quite well when the Jazz usually tipped off at EnergySolutions Arena.

Kanter's hometown of Istanbul, Turkey is nine hours ahead. So Kanter used to set his alarm for the wee hours of the morning to watch Turkish center Mehmet Okur play on television for the Jazz in games that usually started at 7 p.m. Mountain Time.

"I was like, waking up at 4 in the morning, watching games, and then going back to sleep," Kanter said Friday at the NBA draft combine.

Much has changed since those days for Kanter, who turned 19 Friday. The big man is a top NBA draft prospect, and he could go as high as No. 3 to the Jazz.

Kanter wouldn't mind that at all. He grew up cheering for Okur. And even though the two never have met, Kanter said Okur sent him best wishes for the combine through a Jazz official.

"He talked to some of the guys on Utah and then (a Jazz official that Kanter wasn't able to recall by name) told me that Mehmet Okur said 'hi' and said 'good luck,"' Kanter said.

Kanter likely made Okur proud by playing well at the combine, which runs here Wednesday through Saturday. Kanter said he will have a workout in Utah sometime before the June 23 draft, when it will be seen if he becomes Okur's teammate.

"(Salt Lake City) is a great city and a great place to play, and (the Jazz has a) really good team," said the 6-foot-10 Kanter, who said his preferred position is power forward although he also plays center. "I followed them when I was in Turkey."

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7001 ... e-him.html