Enes Kanter, who spent the 2019-20 NBA season with the Boston Celtics, will likely opt out of his contract to test the free agency market, per Jay King and Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
To recall, Kanter inked a two-year $10 million contract in July 2019 which includes a player option in the second year. Per the report, Kanter is satisfied in Boston despite his reduced role as a back up big man for Robert Williams and Grant Williams. However, cap concerns and Kanter's desire for career security may trigger the big man to head elsewhere:
“But with the NBA likely to keep the cap line where it was, there could be some chairs left for Kanter when the music stops in a place with a backup role open. Though Kanter strongly prioritizes being in a city where his political efforts can thrive (Boston, Washington, New York or Chicago), his desire for a warmer climate is mitigated by the NBA’s unusual calendar. He has enjoyed his time in Boston and is hoping to find a multi-year deal to get some stability with his career, but it may be tough to find that kind of deal this offseason.”
The report noted that there's still a chance that Kanter stays with the Celtics. However, the team will likely use his salary for a draft-night trade.
I worked on a story with @jaredweissnba.
Celtics’ future forecasted: Here’s who stays and goes for next season https://t.co/7ECLIoj6IC
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) October 12, 2020
Kanter played 58 games for the Celtics in the regular season. He averaged 8.1 points and 7.4 rebounds across 16.9 minutes — his lowest minutes per game since his second year in the league. In the postseason, Kanter played 11 of 17 games. He averaged 4.5 points and 3.9 rebounds across 9.3 minutes.
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