OKC Thunder: How the 16th pick in the 1989 draft turned into Dennis Schroder
The OKC Thunder history of Enes Kanter
Enes Kanter is a storied player with the OKC Thunder franchise. He is such a good human being that he will always hold a place in the heart of OKC Thunder fans. His friendship with Steven Adams is one for the ages.
There were the bad times though. He was benched during his last playoff series for the Thunder against the Rockets due to his lack of pick and roll defense. Coach Billy Donovan famously uttered the words “Can’t play Kanter” during this series.
Then there was the time that he broke his hand punching a seat in what can only be described as a brain fade. However, these were the only two negative incidents in an otherwise positive time with the Thunder.
His arrival in Oklahoma City removed a toxic situation that could have destabilized the franchise. Fans will remember the start of the 2014 season with little joy. Westbrook was out with a knee injury, Kevin Durant was out with his Jones fracture. As a result, Reggie Jackson was handed the starting point guard role.
.@Reggie_Jackson in action and @kawhileonard cashes in. pic.twitter.com/mTt8C7nxeP
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 23, 2020
When Westbrook returned from injury, it was obvious that Jackson was unhappy that he was displaced from the starting lineup. The situation was toxic and something needed to be done. Presti pulled the trigger on another three-team trade.
He sent Jackson to the Detroit Pistons, Grant Jerrett, Kendrick Perkins, Tibor Plies, and a 2018 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz. In return, the Thunder received Kyle Singler, D.J. Augustin, Steve Novak, and Kanter.