With December 15th in the rear-view mirror, it is time for Danny Ainge to make a decision on the status of Enes Kanter. After December 15, 2019, players signed in the off-season are eligible to be traded - and that includes center Enes Kanter. Ainge and Brad Stevens put a premium on defense and 3-point shooting, neither of which are skills attributed to Kanter. Yes, he rebounds and scores close to the hoop, but his other talents have not been on display.
We knew that replacing Kyrie Irving, Al Horford and Aron Baynes would be difficult. My first thought is, where would the Celtics be without Kemba Walker? He has been extraordinary. But replacing Horford's outside shooting and facilitation - and Baynes-ey's relentless toughness have thus far been a failure. Kudos to Daniel Theis for his defense and rim protection, but after the beating by the Philadelphia 76'ers, Brad Stevens had to admit that neither Theis or Kanter is a "strong, old-school center".
Both Daniel and Enes just don't have the strength or will to battle with the likes of Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo. I admit to being a Theis fan, but I wish he would take more 3-pointers. I was leery of Danny signing Kanter, and I viewed it as a give-him-a-chance type of situation. He has performed as advertised, but that won't work in the post-season. He is not a perimeter or pick-and-roll defender. Nor is he a 3-point shooter or rim protector. And apparently, Brad doesn't view him as a strong defender against the brutes of the NBA. His negatives outweigh the positives, and it may be time for Ainge to reevaluate Kanter's future with Boston.
I had previously proposed that Danny call about Washington Wizard's sharpshooting power forward, Davis Bertans. He may not be capable of handling the Embiids of the League, but he is a devastating marksman from beyond the arc. Joel Embiid chose to back away from both Theis and Kanter in their last meeting, allowing them to shoot from distance. He would pay a price if he tried that with Bertans. Kanter appears to be well-loved by his teammates, but Ainge is all about raising Banner #18, even as soon as this season. He has until the February trade deadline to make a decision.
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Shaq says Joel Embiid is making BBQ CHIKIN outta Enes Kanter 🤣 pic.twitter.com/4ikm4M8ONk
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) December 13, 2019
We knew that replacing Kyrie Irving, Al Horford and Aron Baynes would be difficult. My first thought is, where would the Celtics be without Kemba Walker? He has been extraordinary. But replacing Horford's outside shooting and facilitation - and Baynes-ey's relentless toughness have thus far been a failure. Kudos to Daniel Theis for his defense and rim protection, but after the beating by the Philadelphia 76'ers, Brad Stevens had to admit that neither Theis or Kanter is a "strong, old-school center".
Celtics bench ROASTING Enes Kanter for how he runs @MickstapeShow pic.twitter.com/jmTXHKlSBr
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) December 13, 2019
Both Daniel and Enes just don't have the strength or will to battle with the likes of Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo. I admit to being a Theis fan, but I wish he would take more 3-pointers. I was leery of Danny signing Kanter, and I viewed it as a give-him-a-chance type of situation. He has performed as advertised, but that won't work in the post-season. He is not a perimeter or pick-and-roll defender. Nor is he a 3-point shooter or rim protector. And apparently, Brad doesn't view him as a strong defender against the brutes of the NBA. His negatives outweigh the positives, and it may be time for Ainge to reevaluate Kanter's future with Boston.
I had previously proposed that Danny call about Washington Wizard's sharpshooting power forward, Davis Bertans. He may not be capable of handling the Embiids of the League, but he is a devastating marksman from beyond the arc. Joel Embiid chose to back away from both Theis and Kanter in their last meeting, allowing them to shoot from distance. He would pay a price if he tried that with Bertans. Kanter appears to be well-loved by his teammates, but Ainge is all about raising Banner #18, even as soon as this season. He has until the February trade deadline to make a decision.
Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel, @CausewayStreet and Facebook
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