Your guess for who will be our starting center next year

Did Kanter have issues with his Utah teammates, or was it with management? With Gobert and Favors, he was the odd man out in Utah.

In OKC, any chemistry issues are likely a result of Westbrook throwing him under the bus on national TV. Kanter hasn't publicly commented, but clearly, based on his very limited minutes after Russ ordered Donovan to "take him out", he's not a favorite of his superstar PG who is calling the shots. I think that poor chemistry and a lack of trust between teammates is what cost OKC that series. Russ and KD got their points and shots, but OKC didn't win another game after that.

BNM

 

Not sure about how he was when he was there. Maybe they all hated him just from his comments after he slammed them on his way out, and that is why I would want to know how his Thunder teammates feel about him first. but here is the article after his Jazz return.....http://www.sltrib.com/sports/2344306-155/no-love-lost-between-utah-jazz

Gordon Hayward wouldn't even say his name but, yes, he'd heard "a former player's comments" about the Utah Jazz.

Oklahoma City center Enes Kanter, who spent his first three-plus NBA seasons with the Jazz, made it clear before Saturday's homecoming that he did not have many fond memories from his stay in Utah, praising his new home and calling into question the Jazz's professionalism.

So if things felt a bit heated that night, it's because they were.

"I think it definitely was a little personal for all of us," Hayward said after the Jazz's emotional 94-89 win over Kanter and OKC. "It is what it is. If he feels one way, that's fine. I think it kind of hyped us up a little bit, gave us a little extra incentive. I think it pissed us off a little bit. I think it pissed the fans off, obviously, with the booing. They were tremendous tonight."

Tremendous and relentless.

From the moment Kanter was reintroduced to the EnergySolutions crowd — and each time he touched the ball after that — the announced sellout crowd of 19,911 let him hear it.

Kanter might have liked to hear more.

"I don't really care," he told reporters after the game. "I like pressure. That didn't mean nothing to me. I really don't care if they boo me. Every time I touched the ball, they boo me. I like it better. I like the pressure."

Kanter encouraged the jeers early on by cupping his ears with his hands and egging on the crowd as he was introduced.

"I didn't like the way he handled it early on when they introduced him," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "It's something that will be addressed. We're better than that. But overall I thought he did a good job. He had three good years here. That's part of being traded."

On the court, Kanter's former teammates froze him out of the pregame handshakes. Once, as Kanter held the ball after a possession, Jazz center Rudy Gobert poked it away from behind. Later, it was forward Trevor Booker who grabbed the ball from Kanter.

"I definitely wanted to kick his butt," Booker said after the game.

The Thunder built up a 16-point lead Saturday night, as Kanter relished his new role as a Salt Lake villain, staring down the crowd and, at one point, holding his follow-through after a made free throw as he made his way back down the court.

Kanter finished the night with 18 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots.

But, fueled by their former teammate's remarks, the Jazz rallied to make sure Kanter didn't finish the night with a win.

"He got his stats ... and as always, he got the L, too," Booker said.

After the game, Kanter did not back down from his position.

"That's how I feel," he said. "I am not taking nothing back."


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Yeah, I remember that, but that was about remarks he made after he was traded. That article is poorly written. It says his comments angered his former teammates, but doesn't give any quotes or specific examples.

This article has his actual comments:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...am-utah-jazz-comparison-oklahoma-city-thunder

It's mostly a bunch of passive-agressive stuff about how he's so much happier in OKC than he was in UTA. However, I found this quote interesting:

"He's the best [point guard] in the league," he said. "I've never really had a point guard like that, I've never had a point guard. He's just the best in the league."

Asked what he likes so much about the Thunder, Kanter had plenty to say.

"First of all, we have a leader like Russell."

I wonder if he still feels that way after that leader threw him under the bus in the GSW series.

BNM

 

He said some immature stuff when he left Utah. But he was young. And if he is getting along with his teammate in OKC (Besides Westbrook) then I would not be worried....but still it was not smart to say:

"I think the difference is, I like playing basketball [with the Thunder]. I think that's the most important thing. I never liked playing basketball before in my NBA career, and this is the first time I felt like playing basketball there, for my team, for the fans, for my teammates for my coaches, for everybody." ..........

 

I agree on Kanter.

He's basically a Zach Randolph clone. I love his game.

He's definitely more appealing than Monroe.

 

It was from Jazz fans that I learned the terms "Penis Kancer."

 

He'd be a good player to get for a science experiment:

How good is a team that's 1st in offense and 30th in defense?

 

Look up the 80's Denver Nuggets. Averaging over 120 a game for several years.

 

Phoenix Suns come to mind.