Kanter's Free Agency

[bondom34]

Figured I'd see what everyone thought as far as how much you're comfortable w/ the team paying up this summer, or if you'd rather him not return or find a trade. Personally, I'm hoping he signs for at most 12 mil, the defense admittedly worries me. That said, when Serge was with him it was much better so I think it can improve and given how happy he seems I think that he'll improve some. I'm still crossing my fingers he'll sign for around 12 mil per year.

Edit: I'm changing my vote to 13, but hoping he signs for 12.

[spearsy23]

I'd pay him all the way up to his max. Worry about everything else later, a big without injury concerns that can get 18/10 is never going to be an untradeable asset. Brooklyn almost unloaded Lopez when he was still playing his way back into shape, and it was only their reluctance that stopped it from happening. If we need to work something out when Adams is due for an extension Kanter is only 25.

[KD35Brah]

Pay him.

He's 22 years old, definitely has time to develop into an average defensive player or slightly below average.

Not many centers in the entire league are as good offensively as Kanter and he's only 22.

He's efficient as well:

24+ PER
200 WS/48
60% TS scorer

[Kizz Fastfists]

They are trying to win now. You pay Kanter because he gives you something that you do not have. He also is young, only one year older than Adams, and can improve his defense. With the cap about to increase giving him a current max deal isn't as bad as it sounds. Yes, it hurts for next year, but they are already pretty much a lock to be in the tax next year anyway. I'd like to get him at $12M/or less, but with the TV money about to kick the way salaries are viewed is about to change drastically so if you give him $15M it's not the end of the world.

I'm not worried about it effecting re-signing Ibaka, Adams or Russ because that is two more years down the line. We have Russ and Ibaka for 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 no matter what. Adams has two more years on his rookie deal before he is an RFA. So if in two years Ibaka and Russ need new max deals along with KD's and you are having trouble fitting everyone together THEN you make a decision. Even if you have to sell low, in trade value, on Kanter at the time it is worth it to have the team they will for the next two years. Ibaka, Kanter, Adams and McGary as your four primary big men with Collison as the crafty veteran/mentor is a great group that any team would love to have. I don't care if in two years I have to trade Kanter for a draft and stash player that is never coming over to make room for a developed Adams, assuming McGary has also developed into a good 3rd big man, because I'm building a team for 2015-2016 not for three years down the road.

I was one of the biggest supporters of trading Harden. I understood the cap situation as it appeared at the time and it made it look like they were going to be stuck in the repeater's tax for a long time if they re-signed him costing them the MLE and other options. Things played out a bit different with some unexpected cap jumps, etc. However, if it were the same situation today I'd be saying give him his deal for the same reasons I'm supporting paying Kanter. The current cap situation and what is known makes it much more palatable to give the extension at this point. Until the lockout/strike next off-season we won't know for certain what the real cap figures will be, but with the TV money coming in even if the players do not increase their share of the revenue the cap will take a huge jump. Go for it all next year. Hope for a healthy team. Then if everything falls apart after next year and KD leaves and Presti decides to go into a massive rebuild trading Russ and/or Ibaka for draft picks and young players at least you gave yourself one last shot at winning it all before KD left. I don't believe KD is leaving, but at this point you put the best team you possible can together every year. So unless there is a S&T offer for Kanter that makes you better you give Kanter his money and go for it.

[Old Man Game]

I'd love for him to play under the Qualifying Offer next year so we could get one more look at him before making a long term investment.

[Kizz Fastfists]

If he plays under the QO next off-season it is because he will be looking to earn a max deal under the increased cap. You really don't want him to do that because that means OKC will not have him past next year unless he struggles badly and no one else is willing to give him a decent salary. OKC would not have RFA rights if he took the QO. There would probably be a S&T, even if it would mean trading him for a protected 1st round pick that wasn't going to be great or a lesser player with more years of control, if he threatened to take the QO over signing long-term.

[kdthunderup]

It sucks that we didn't really get to see how Kanter played with a fully healthy Thunder team and how dominant they would be compared to Perkins lineup days.

His defense is obviously the main worry here, you can't afford to have a key player on a large contract be a liability in key games. If he can just work on his defense and get someone like Collison to improve his skills and positioning then he would be absolute beast. I can't really see anything physically that would stop him from at least not sucking hard on defense, it will just come down to awareness and effort. His main kryptonite has been his P&R defense, he just needs to hammer in on that in the off season and work really hard at improving his lateral quickness.

He doesn't have to be dominant defensively just average really, if he came out and made a statement that he will put a lot of effort into focusing on improving his defense I would have no problem giving him the max since his scoring and rebounding abilities are already near elite and he is only 22.

edit - actually just recently found this quote which was quite promising

"To Kanter’s credit, he doesn’t try to deny his status. He knows his defense is weak. I like that. That’s the first step toward getting better.

Kanter said that since his arrival, there hasn’t been much offensive instruction. Defense is the message.

“That’s one thing we have been talking about the whole season,” Kanter said. “We don’t really talk about offense too much. All we talked about was defense.”

Kanter even cops to his particular weakness. Says he plans to get a point guard out on the court with him this summer and work on the pick-and-roll. Get his defensive footwork to match his offensive footwork, which is quite deft and efficient."

http://newsok.com/with-enes-kanter-the- ... 97/?page=2

[Old Man Game]

Kanter even cops to his particular weakness. Says he plans to get a point guard out on the court with him this summer and work on the pick-and-roll. Get his defensive footwork to match his offensive footwork, which is quite deft and efficient."

http://newsok.com/with-enes-kanter-the- ... 97/?page=2

That's really cool.

[Old Man Game]

So how, if at all, does the knee surgery announced this morning impact everyone's assessment of a commitment to him long term?

[Balkman32]

He just does not play defense. But, I do think that he will be re-signed or they will match an offer. W/ the salary cap moving from $68 mill this upcoming season to $108 in 2017 it is a no brainer to lock up anyone you can this offseason.

If Dion does not re-sign this offseason he will be traded.

[Balkman32]

Kanter had knee surgery the other day. Is out 4-6 weeks.

[Balkman32]

I'd love for him to play under the Qualifying Offer next year so we could get one more look at him before making a long term investment.

That could cost you 5 million a year. W/ the salary cap raising he would be worth u to 20 M a year and not get capped out @ 16.5

[jackson77]

Re-signed him !!!

[idajazz]

OKC is my second fav team. I sure wish the Jazz would have traded him someplace else.
The problem isn't the talent, its the Heart, and attitude.

[bondom34]

Re-signed him !!!

Huh?

[jackson77]

The first player in the history of Thunder who averaged a double double, Presti will surely find a way, and Kanter said publicly that he likes in Oklahoma. I am 100% confident that he stays!

[spearsy23]

So how, if at all, does the knee surgery announced this morning impact everyone's assessment of a commitment to him long term?

Just a scope, Nick and PJ both had it done last year and Enes has a lot more time to recover. He plans on playing for the Turkish national team this summer so he should be in game shape by the start of the season.

[simon24]

I'd give him no more than $12 million a year. Good big men are hard to find.

[realfung]

12 millions +

[kanterman]

Enes is in Turkey right now and doing kind of an all around tour visiting colleges, TV stations and such. So he is giving a lot of Interviews. Might be some new information for you guys.

1. He is still wearing his OKC gear.
2. He loves the organization. Always talking about how the team made him feel welcome.
3. He apparently talked to coach Donovan which was definitly new news to me.

If you guys don't lowball too much. I even can see him take something between 4/40 and 4/48. Something I thought not possible back in Utah.