Enes Kanter Must Become More Consistent For Utah Jazz To Stay On The Floor
By Ryan Aston
@mrmarykateolsen
NBAE/Getty Images
A big topic of debate among Utah Jazz fans this preseason has been whether or not forward/center Enes Kanter should be signed to a long-term extension. The time is nigh for the team to make a decision on the former No. 3 overall pick who, believe it or not, is now entering his fourth year in the NBA. Before that can (or should) happen, Kanter needs to play consistently and prove that he’s a starter in the league.
Last night, for perhaps the first time this preseason, Kanter stated his case emphatically with a top-shelf exhibition performance against the Kevin Durant-less Oklahoma City Thunder. With Quin Snyder employing something close to a regular season rotation, Kanter was on the floor for just under 30 minutes and was able to tally 27 points, seven boards and three assists. He was also able to hit 2-of-2 from 3-point range.
The long-distance connections and assists are of particular importance for Kanter, given the fact that Snyder wants the Turkish big man to become both a more willing passer and a capable threat to space the floor. Unfortunately, before the outburst against OKC, the results had been uneven. The 3-point shooting experiment was proving particularly egregious as Kanter had hit from long range only once in previous games, going 1-of-12 overall.
If Kanter wants to stay on the floor and prove he’s worthy of a big payday, from the Jazz or otherwise, he needs to show some kind of consistency in these areas as well as continue to improve defensively. With Rudy Gobert looking more and more like a potential impact player and Trevor Booker providing energy and toughness each and every game, Kanter could be in danger of seeing his minutes diminish at times.
Kanter still has the potential to be a big-time player in the league. It’s not far-fetched to think that he could be a 20-10 guy in the right situation. However, if that is to be the result of Kanter’s career, we will need to see more nights like the Thunder game and less of the disappointing efforts that have become recurrence throughout his first three seasons in the league.
Ryan Aston covers the Utah Jazz for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @MrMaryKateOlsen or add him to your network on Google.
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