An individual trade demand has never been more weird.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune‘s Aaron Falk, fourth-year big man Enes Kanter and his agent have formally requested (demanded?????) the Utah Jazz trade him ahead of the Feb. 19 deadline:
Dallas Frustrated by his role during his three-plus years in Utah, center Enes Kanter told The Salt Lake Tribune he hopes to be traded before this year’s deadline.
Kanter expressed his frustration after Wednesday’s 87-82 loss to the Mavericks, a game in which Kanter left with an eye injury and did not play in the fourth quarter despite his claim that he was healthy enough to play.
“It was not my eye at all. I don’t know what it was, but it was not my eye at all. So we’ll see what’s going to happen,” Kanter said after the game, declining to elaborate further. …
But for the third-overall pick in the 2011 draft, the frustrations are about more than one night. Kanter grew tired of empty promises of playing time during his time under Tyrone Corbin and remains frustrated by the inconsistency of his role.
The Jazz and coach Quin Snyder have tried to balance time among their four primary big men — Kanter, Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert and Trevor Booker. Snyder has admitted in the past that it has been hard to find time in some games for all four, and said matchups and performance would dictate who got minutes most nights.
In a text message late Wednesday, Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey declined to comment on the situation.
This is so, so odd. I both understand it and am confused by it.
Kanter’s unhappiness, which has apparently been brewing for a while, has reached fever pitch while he’s averaging career highs across the board, most notably in minutes, shot attempts, points and usage rate. Normally, it would be weird that he wants out of this situation so desperately. To be slightly unhappy is one thing, but resorting to trade demands is another thing entirely.
That’s where his individual status comes into play. He’s a top-three pick that hasn’t morphed into a superstar. The Jazz also have two other big men who factor into their future more so than Kanter: Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert. It doesn’t help that Trevor Booker often sees spot minutes ahead of him.
Things are further complicated by Kanter’s restricted free agency. The Jazz have the right to match any offer he receives, so his fate isn’t really in his own hands. Forcing a trade is a way of ensuring he doesn’t remain in Utah beyond this season.
Furthermore, provided he’s traded to the right team, it’s an opportunity for him to drum up his value. Playing within this success-by-committee frontcourt has no doubt curbed his production, if only slightly. More playing time elsewhere would be his chance to distinguish himself in ways he never has or could in Utah.
Which makes the outcome of this interesting. The Jazz don’t have a lot of leverage in negotiations, what with Kanter being unhappy and a potential flight risk. Some team will surely take a chance on him, but the price will have to be right and they’ll need to be in a position to stomach the development of a defensively limited tower who is only just beginning to stretch the floor.
So, you know, the next seven days should be fun.
