When Enes Kanter and the New York Knicks agreed to a buyout back in February, several teams expressed interest in bringing in the Turkish big man for the final stretch of the season, including the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kanter eventually chose the Blazers, which has proven to be a wise decision considering the fact that the Lakers didn't make the playoffs. In an interview with NBC Sports' Dwight Jaynes, the eight-year veteran admitted that he's glad that he's with Portland and that he's excited for the playoffs.
“Now is the fun time. The playoffs. Win or go home. It’s amazing. I’m super blessed. I could have been going on vacation yesterday.
“I looked at myself in the mirror yesterday and said, ‘I should feel very blessed to be with this team and this organization.’ It means a lot because this one of the classiest and one of the best organizations I’ve ever been a part of.”
When asked about the idea that he wouldn't be here had he chosen the Lakers, Kanter had a pretty candid response.
“If I went to LA, I probably would have gone nuts.”
Enes Kanter is expected to play a major role for the Blazers. With the absence of Jusuf Nurkic, he will play a ton of minutes as the team's top rim protector. This is a perfect opportunity for Enes to prove that he's still one of the better centers in the league.
The Blazers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.