Portland Trail Blazers: 3 Positives Enes Kanter Brings to the Roster

Meyers Leonard Portland Trail Blazers Enes Kanter New York Knicks (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
Meyers Leonard Portland Trail Blazers Enes Kanter New York Knicks (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Portland Trail Blazers
Enes Kanter New York Knicks Portland Trail Blazers (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Finishing Around the Rim

Kanter is one of the better finishers around the rim at the center position, as well. He is connecting on 57.8% of his field goal attempts within 10 feet of the basket. Jusuf Nurkic, another good interior finisher, is making 55% of his field goal attempts within 10 feet.

Kanter’s interior presence should be a nice fit with the rest of the pieces the Blazers have coming off the bench. Seth Curry will space the floor. Rodney Hood and Jake Layman can score in a variety of ways. Evan Turner should continue to be the primary playmaker. Curry, Hood, and Layman should space the floor for Kanter, and Turner will find him if he is open.

Shooters like Curry and Hood can be confident dumping the ball off to Kanter on the drive. Although that is not altering the team’s dynamic, it still incrementally improves the offense as a whole.

Kanter does not just finish inside efficiently, he does it often. Kanter is averaging 9.1 field goal attempts per within 10 feet of the basket. His previously discussed offensive rebounding ability certainly affords him a lot of putback opportunities, and he has been able to convert.