OKC Thunder Offseason Improvement Series: Enes Kanter

Offseason Improvement Series looks at Enes Kanter

Up third in the offseason improvement series Enes Kanter. This series examines each OKC Thunder player on the roster to determine areas the individual should focus on improving.

This past season, Enes Kanter put together another quality campaign as the Thunder’s sixth man in the regular season. The playoffs, however, were a different story.

Kanter struggled to see the floor in the playoffs because he’s a complete liability on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s take a look at Kanter’s lackluster defense and determine how he can improve on it to ensure he’s not stuck on the sidelines next May.

Pick and Roll Defense

This video may be two years old but I can promise you this: Nothing has changed since. Enes Kanter simply does not possess the ability to defend the pick and roll.

Does anyone know what one of the most prevalent play calls is in today’s NBA on offense? The pick and roll. So, you can see wherein the problem lies.

Truth be told, it’s extremely difficult to teach pick and roll defense or any defense for that matter given how much successful defense revolves around instincts. But, underwhelming defenders can surely improve enough to at least be playable.

We’ve already seen the wrong way to defend the pick and roll thanks to Kanter and whoever put together the video above. Here are a couple of correct ways to defend the pick and roll:

You can see the difference between what’s being taught as acceptable in those videos and what Kanter is doing. It’s night and day.

On Ball Defense

Considering Kanter can’t even properly defend the pick and roll — something that has more to do with being in position than anything else — you can just imagine how putrid his on ball defense is.

Actually, you don’t even have to imagine it. Just watch this video:

Now, let me cut Kanter a break here. In the above video, he is defending James Harden who is one of the best offensive players in the league. Still, ow is Kanter going to get roasted, that bad? Kanter will have to improve both his on ball defense and his pick and roll defense if he wants to get off the pine next postseason.

Conclusion

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One of the biggest problems for Kanter is the way the league has shifted in recent years. The league,  now more than ever, is three-point centric. Power forwards and centers are called on to be more mobile and able to shoot than ever before. This leaves Kanter at an immediate disadvantage.

Kanter is more of a traditional power forward who plays in the post rather than lurks on the perimeter. Kanter’s style just doesn’t fit today’s NBA, especially considering his unfavorable defense.

With that said, if Kanter can improve even remotely on defense he may still be able to produce positive results for the Thunder when the games tighten up in the postseason. There’s only one way for Kanter to do this: Get in the film room and take a lot of mental notes.