Enes Kanter Freedom to Boston

joe dokes

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cheap, situational, veteran 5

no-brainer of a signing, nice work by PBS

really like this offseason, if I was to nitpick I'd rather they traded TT straight up for Delon Wright or kept Moses over Fernando
Obviously, Stevens is well aware of Kanter's on-court strengths and weaknesses, but I'm guessing he also really valued his solid presence. I can't quite articulate it, but there's value-by-example in a teammate who doesn't let one on-court failure (like quite a bit of Kanter's defense) impact the rest of his game (he still rebounds and plays the "right" offense immediately thereafter).
 

HomeRunBaker

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Obviously, Stevens is well aware of Kanter's on-court strengths and weaknesses, but I'm guessing he also really valued his solid presence. I can't quite articulate it, but there's value-by-example in a teammate who doesn't let one on-court failure (like quite a bit of Kanter's defense) impact the rest of his game (he still rebounds and plays the "right" offense immediately thereafter).
Not to sound pessimistic but simply reading between the lines. Why else would Brad pay this much for a 3rd string/non-rotational big if he was confident about TL’s health? It just makes me go Hmmmmm.
 

benhogan

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Is $2.7m a lot to pay a 3rd string center?
he should get paid that for his Twitter skills

Kanter is situational, while strictly a 5 (like TL and Horford), Enes will get minutes by playing a different role than TL.

TL's injury history is well documented. If TL/Al played 82 games and split the Center minutes, the Kanter signing would still be a no-brainer

Vet minimum contracts imply no red flag other than a cost-efficient way to fill out 1 of 15 roster spots. If Brad went out and bid 4yrs for $36MM for Daniel Theis, then I'd be concerned.
 

joe dokes

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he should get paid that for his Twitter skills

Kanter is situational, while strictly a 5 (like TL and Horford), Enes will get minutes by playing a different role than TL.

TL's injury history is well documented. If TL/Al played 82 games and split the Center minutes, the Kanter signing would still be a no-brainer

Vet minimum contracts imply no red flag other than a cost-efficient way to fill out 1 of 15 roster spots.
Right. There's no "lost development time" to worry about, and Kanter has shown that he can sit in cold storage for awhile and almost immediately be his usual self (for better and worse).
 

Eddie Jurak

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Not to sound pessimistic but simply reading between the lines. Why else would Brad pay this much for a 3rd string/non-rotational big if he was confident about TL’s health? It just makes me go Hmmmmm.
Kanter took the vet minimum. I'd be more concerned if Brad had spent real money to bring in another C. Daniel Theis just got 4, $36M from the Rockets. If the Cs had spent anything remotely close to that I'd be more worried.

I should say, I am plenty worried about Rob's health. And Horford's health! I just don't read the Kanter signing as evidence that the Celtics are worried. They had to sign someone to be the #3 C. If anything, that they went after Kanter as opposed to someone more costly could be evidence that they are bullish about Rob.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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This is Kremlin watching at its finest. Williams health is almost certainly going to be a concern for whomever employs him but even were it not, the Kanter signing makes sense. As other have noted, the guy seems to be a plus from a culture perspective, appears comfortable with his role and gives Stevens something he knew the team lacked last year which was experienced depth.

On the other hand, if there was an good 3-D wing available at the same price point and Brad still went for Kanter, the TimeLord-is-held-together-with-bailing-wire theory might feel more real.
 

DJnVa

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Is $2.7m a lot to pay a 3rd string center?
It's literally the absolute minimum Kanter could be paid. If they signed a guy not on a rookie deal of some kind, they might have been able to save about $900k.
 

bankshot1

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As an afficianado of the offensive rebound, and the 2nd chance points they yield, and recognizing rebounding has not been a Celtic strength for awhile, and that TL is a fragile timepiece and Al's getting old, IMO we can always use 6 more fouls against some of the tough bigs in the league, I've no problem at all with Enes as the 3rd string 5. He may also be a popular locker-room guy in a locker-room that has been challenging the last couple of years
 

Cesar Crespo

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What's the point of that other than to be self righteous? Why not make a post saying the same thing without the direct shot at athletes with shoe deals?

It's also an easy thing to say when no one is offering you 7-9 figures to wear shoes.
 

Rosey Ruzicka

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What's the point of that other than to be self righteous? Why not make a post saying the same thing without the direct shot at athletes with shoe deals?

It's also an easy thing to say when no one is offering you 7-9 figures to wear shoes.
Calling out the biggest name in the NBA seems directly like a pretty good way to get attention to the issue. Also I have a polar opposite take on this guy from you, he is definitely standing up for what he believes over money and safety.
 

DJnVa

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What's the point of that other than to be self righteous? Why not make a post saying the same thing without the direct shot at athletes with shoe deals?

It's also an easy thing to say when no one is offering you 7-9 figures to wear shoes.
Thinking the Kanter hasn't personally suffered because of the actions of governments is...interesting.
 

Cesar Crespo

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Thinking the Kanter hasn't personally suffered because of the actions of governments is...interesting.
I mean, fair enough. Still, there are a lot of players in the NBA with shoe deals. Calling out a lot of players.
 

Bleedred

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Calling out the biggest name in the NBA seems directly like a pretty good way to get attention to the issue. Also I have a polar opposite take on this guy from you, he is definitely standing up for what he believes over money and safety.
co-signed. I think it takes balls of Kanter to call out the stars of the game. He's not going to make friends that way, and I'm guessing he doesn't care. There may be better ways to draw attention to the subject, but this is a pretty good way too. Oh, and he's right.
 

Tony C

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What's the point of that other than to be self righteous? Why not make a post saying the same thing without the direct shot at athletes with shoe deals?

It's also an easy thing to say when no one is offering you 7-9 figures to wear shoes.
The easy thing would be to not call out big names.
 

Cellar-Door

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I mean, fair enough. Still, there are a lot of players in the NBA with shoe deals. Calling out a lot of players.
He's calling out LeBron for a couple reasons...
1. This gets covered where just a random instagram post might not
2. LeBron has been political on other issues, making it more fair to call him out than some others.
3. LeBron is the face of the league
4. LeBron dodged China a couple times, but he also called out Morey as "misinformed" and said he himself was "not informed enough".
5. Across the NBA, all kinds of outspoken people (Pop, Kerr) have dodged all China questions consistently, it's about money and Kanter has the right to call that out... does LeBron or Pop or Kerr really need more information about forced labor camps for minority groups to be able to comment on whether they are wrong? No of course not, rounding up minorities and using them as slave labor isn't a complex cultural issue.
 

bigq

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I am a huge Kanter fan and bringing cruel and unfair labor practices to light is the right thing to do. It has been years since I have managed contract manufacturers in the region however when I was doing so I would write anti slave labor language into supply contracts and/or supplier code of conduct requirements that contract manufacturers would have to sign up for as a condition of doing business. The same goes for child labor. Those are subject to audit which while a deterrent is not bulletproof protection. I would be surprised if Nike has not done the same. I would guess Lebron and his corporate team can lean on similar policies as protection against blowback.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Calling out the biggest name in the NBA seems directly like a pretty good way to get attention to the issue. Also I have a polar opposite take on this guy from you, he is definitely standing up for what he believes over money and safety.
It’s a real good way to get run out of the league too. I suspect once the Celtics are done with him that will be the end of him in the NBA. Nobody wants a guy on the end of the bench creating a stir even if he is correct.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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It’s a real good way to get run out of the league too. I suspect once the Celtics are done with him that will be the end of him in the NBA. Nobody wants a guy on the end of the bench creating a stir even if he is correct.
Another reason to respect it. If you know it, you can bet he does, too.
 

Cellar-Door

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I am a huge Kanter fan and bringing cruel and unfair labor practices to light is the right thing to do. It has been years since I have managed contract manufacturers in the region however when I was doing so I would write anti slave labor language into supply contracts and/or supplier code of conduct requirements that contract manufacturers would have to sign up for as a condition of doing business. The same goes for child labor. Those are subject to audit which while a deterrent is not bulletproof protection. I would be surprised if Nike has not done the same. I would guess Lebron and his corporate team can lean on similar policies as protection against blowback.
They do, but of course.... a lot of it is "we told our suppliers not to do it". They have a anti-forced labor due diligence screening tool... it runs in a whole bunch of countries that aren't China, and aren't known for forced labor (Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, etc.) but not in China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, etc. where it is a known issue. They don't have any factories in XUAR... but humanitarian groups say that their suppliers use XUAR forced labor that is redistributed to other provinces.

NIke has never shown any real concern with avoiding forced labor or humanitarian violations, they likely welcome it, so long as they can shield themselves from any liability.
 

moondog80

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Am I a conspiracy nut for noticing that there is zero mention of this on espn.com?
 

Fishy1

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Am I a conspiracy nut for noticing that there is zero mention of this on espn.com?
Of course not. Why would you be? Why would any sports commentary conglomerate be invested at all in bringing its fans to think at all about the politics of their pleasure?
 

Van Everyman

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Or the Globe. I would expect Washburn or another writer to bring this up to a Tatum and Brown -- ie, "How do you feel about Enes's comments on China?" Feels like malpractice not to ... unless there are off the record conversations with Ime going on about this along the lines of "We are working through this as a team, etc."
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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I wonder if Jaylen will address this.
Maybe interesting only to me but Abby said on one of the telecasts that JB is a "shoe free agent" and is looking for something or some brand that he can get behind. I.e., sustainable, commitment to social justice, etc. It will be interesting to see what he ends up doing with shoes.
 

Cellar-Door

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Kind of amazing that an athlete is on CNN and NBC News, and the biggest sports outlet doesn't cover it at all
 

bellowthecat

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I love Kanter and hope the Celtics don't try to silence him on this. By calling out the NBA and the face of the game he is directly putting his current livelihood at risk and he certainly knows it. I typically don't think if pro athletes as role models, but this right here is bravery that will likely be followed up by sacrifice. Kanter seems like a genuinely good person.
 

Cesar Crespo

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I love Kanter and hope the Celtics don't try to silence him on this. By calling out the NBA and the face of the game he is directly putting his current livelihood at risk and he certainly knows it. I typically don't think if pro athletes as role models, but this right here is bravery that will likely be followed up by sacrifice. Kanter seems like a genuinely good person.
He barely had a job anyway, he won't after this season and that was before he made his comments. He's an end of the bench guy/fringe nba player as it is.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Another reason to respect it. If you know it, you can bet he does, too.
Yes absolutely. I’m waiting for the next shoe to drop where the league/sponsors “suggest” negotiating a buy-out. I hope for his sake he knows what he’s doing is committing professional suicide. I doubt he would regret it as this has always been a passion of his I just hope he fully recognizes the ramifications. Good man.
 

PedroKsBambino

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Given his political situation I also suspect it's harder for him to go play in Europe than just about anyone else in NBA, so the most obvious alternative is likely not available to him either, right?
 

Van Everyman

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He's an end of the bench guy/fringe nba player as it is.
... who got 30 rebounds in a game last year. For what he does--score and rebound--he's actually pretty good.

I get that he's not a great fit on a Celtics team that is putting an emphasis on team defense. But in a league where a lot of dudes never play more than 60 minutes a season, I wouldn't call Kanter a fringe player at all.
 

Cesar Crespo

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... who got 30 rebounds in a game last year. For what he does--score and rebound--he's actually pretty good.

I get that he's not a great fit on a Celtics team that is putting an emphasis on team defense. But in a league where a lot of dudes never play more than 60 minutes a season, I wouldn't call Kanter a fringe player at all.
He had to sign with the Celtics for 1/2mil after putting up a double double. He's a fringe player. He had 4 games played and 11 DNP-CDs.

I don't know how anyone can argue with a straight face he's not a fringe player/end of the bench guy who was very close to being out of the NBA prior to all of this.

He only plays when there are no other options.
 

shoelace

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Yes absolutely. I’m waiting for the next shoe to drop where the league/sponsors “suggest” negotiating a buy-out. I hope for his sake he knows what he’s doing is committing professional suicide. I doubt he would regret it as this has always been a passion of his I just hope he fully recognizes the ramifications. Good man.
If this happens, it's just a stepping stone to a Kapernick-esque media career. I wonder if he sees the writing on the wall with his playing career and is just leaning into this. Not to say that these aren't his sincere beliefs, but, you know.
 

Cesar Crespo

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If this happens, it's just a stepping stone to a Kapernick-esque media career. I wonder if he sees the writing on the wall with his playing career and is just leaning into this. Not to say that these aren't his sincere beliefs, but, you know.
With who? I also doubt Kanter has the pull Kaepernick did. Add to the fact more Americans care about "local" than "global" and the fact Nike was the one who paid him, and it doesn't look so good for Kanter.
 

shoelace

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With who? I also doubt Kanter has the pull Kaepernick did. Add to the fact more Americans care about "local" than "global" and the fact Nike was the one who paid him, and it doesn't look so good for Kanter.
I agree with you that the American media audience, in general, doesn't even bother pretending to care about human rights in a global sense. And, obviously, a decent chunk of the positive media write-ups he's getting from his recent comments are coming from right-wing outlets who don't care about that at all in any meaningful sense. But, the dude does a ton of media hits, he's charismatic, I think there's something there. I could be wrong, but that's the vibe I get from him.
 

moondog80

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Devils advocate -- Kanter has made over $100 million and his ceiling at this point is 3rd center (as Crespo suggests). So the sacrifice is much less now then it was when he was negotiating that 73 mil contract with the Thunder.

I'm still OK with this -- everyone makes compromises, it's nearly impossible to live in today's world without doing some sort of business with China, indirect or otherwise. Imperfect as it may be, it's way more than anyone else is doing.
 

Buster Olney the Lonely

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Is there an ethically responsible shoe on the market? I wonder what brand Kanter wears. Legitimately curious. One site I found said he wears Nike but I suspect that it’s an old article. The pics on Twitter looklike K-Swiss maybe?
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Kind of amazing that an athlete is on CNN and NBC News, and the biggest sports outlet doesn't cover it at all
I imagine that this was part of Kanter's calcuation. By trying to engage Lebron you hope that Lebron will offer some type of response and then the sports outlets cannot avoid it. But Lebron's not dumb.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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He had to sign with the Celtics for 1/2mil after putting up a double double. He's a fringe player. He had 4 games played and 11 DNP-CDs.

I don't know how anyone can argue with a straight face he's not a fringe player/end of the bench guy who was very close to being out of the NBA prior to all of this.

He only plays when there are no other options.
I agree with this assessment of where Kanter is in his career. He is kind of the poster child for advanced metrics in that he does a lot of great offensive stuff which fills up stat sheets and even dominates some of the biggest, strongest people in the NBA while doing so. But he more than gives it back on the defensive end and its not like he doesn't try. He is simply incapable of defending most other players in space.

Regardless, this is a bold stand especially in the current environment and he should be commended for it.
 
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Bigdogx

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I imagine that this was part of Kanter's calcuation. By trying to engage Lebron you hope that Lebron will offer some type of response and then the sports outlets cannot avoid it. But Lebron's not dumb.
No he is, all Kanter will need to do is continue to engage him and call him out. Lebrons ego wont allow it to go unchecked forever imo.
 

bbc23

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This thread is remarkable frankly. If Kanter wasn't on the Celtics y'all would be slamming him for his hypocrisy in associating with right wingers like John Bolton and support of the Gulen movement. Dude is a fraud who is right on one issue and is using this as a way to be a Fox darling after he retires (which will be soon because he's not worth an NBA spot).
 

luckiestman

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This thread is remarkable frankly. If Kanter wasn't on the Celtics y'all would be slamming him for his hypocrisy in associating with right wingers like John Bolton and support of the Gulen movement. Dude is a fraud who is right on one issue and is using this as a way to be a Fox darling after he retires (which will be soon because he's not worth an NBA spot).
When someone is correct about something you say they are correct whether or not they are incorrect about other things. That is what is called “having honor”.
 

JShams

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This thread is remarkable frankly. If Kanter wasn't on the Celtics y'all would be slamming him for his hypocrisy in associating with right wingers like John Bolton and support of the Gulen movement. Dude is a fraud who is right on one issue and is using this as a way to be a Fox darling after he retires (which will be soon because he's not worth an NBA spot).
Fuck right off with this, BS take.
 

Cellar-Door

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This thread is remarkable frankly. If Kanter wasn't on the Celtics y'all would be slamming him for his hypocrisy in associating with right wingers like John Bolton and support of the Gulen movement. Dude is a fraud who is right on one issue and is using this as a way to be a Fox darling after he retires (which will be soon because he's not worth an NBA spot).
Nah, John Bolton may be a clown, and I'm not a huge Gulen fan, his movement is a whole lot better than what is going on in Turkey right now, being generally more pro-Democracy and freedom than Edrogan. Even then... the idea that Kanter associating with people I don't like means I wouldn't agree that he's 100% right on China is silly. Kanter is right on China, Morey was right on China, I don't like Morey at all, but he was right and I said it at the time. Kanter is a guy who no matter where he was I would respect that he took a moral stand against oppression despite the knowledge that it will likely hurt his wallet long term, just like I always respected his steadfast opposition to Edrogan even when it meant he lost opportunities and had trouble traveling.