The Portland Trail Blazers will reportedly acquire center Enes Kanter from the Bostin Celtics as part of the three-team trade involving the Memphis Grizzlies according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. This deal stems from the draft night aquisition of Desmond Bane for Memphis.
Portland is acquiring Boston's Enes Kanter in a three-way deal with Memphis, sources tell ESPN. Memphis gets Mario Hezonjia and 30th pick (Desmond Bane) from draft night deal as part of trade too. Celtics get a future Memphis draft consideration.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 20, 2020
Boston ships out Kanter, who moves into the trade exception that the Blazers possessed. In return, Memphis acquires Mario Hezonja and the 30th pick (Bane). The Celtics move some salary out and get some future draft considerations later.
Kanter, who spent time with Portalnd previously, appears quite happy to be headed ot the great northwest. He will play the primary backup role to Jusuf Nurkic, and may be getting even more minutes with Zach Collins still on the mend.
Home Sweet Home ???
— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) November 20, 2020
The Celtics, who wanted to move up in the first round of the draft, failed to do so. Instead, they appear to be turning toward shipping out salary. Gordon Hayward reportedly declining his player option removes a significant chunk of salary as well.
Boston right now has $106M in salary heading into free agency.
A little below the cap but will stay over with their exceptions ($9.3M midlevel, $3.6M biannual and trade).
Well below the luxury tax ($26M+)
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 20, 2020
So far this offseason the Blazers have made some impactful moves that sew up some weakenesses. They traded for wingman Robert Covington, who fills a big defensive and three-point void. Now with Enes Kanter, Portland brings back an established vet and backup big to spell Nurkic some rest.
