OKC Thunder Film Festival Episode 6: Enes Kanter – The passing big man

Teaching others to fish:

Apart from getting buckets for himself, Enes Kanter also showed a newfound ability to move the rock.

To be clear, Kanter is no Marc Gasol. He is nowhere close to being able to survey the court and direct an offense by himself.

But, even having a bench player who can make the right pass out of double teams – right pass meaning hitting the shooter’s pocket at just the right time – would help lift the notoriously-parched second unit. And, Enes Kanter has been growing in this area.

Passing is technically a simple skill, but getting the timing and placement perfect is the hard part. Here, Kanter hits the strong side shooter at just the right time, as he curls off a pin down.

Last season, Kanter also showed he can make reads even while getting double teamed. Look how he patiently waits for the defense to warp towards him, before hitting the weak side shooter with the cross court pass.

Enes Kanter also showed he can pass into congested spaces under the rim. Here, he sharply hits Joffrey Lauvergne with the pass before the defender can push Lauvergne outwards.

Finally and perhaps most excitingly, Kanter showed signs of budding chemistry with Steven Adams.

Adams struggles to impact the game when he is not screening a traditional ball-handler. However, if Kanter can consistently hit Adams with such passes just as Adams cuts hard, the OKC Thunder could have an even more potent front line.

Last season, Enes Kanter showed he can be trusted to generate offense for himself, but in small doses, he is capable of creating easy looks for others too.

For a player so challenged on the defense end, making such a stride forward is vital to his survival.