Portland Trail Blazers: Examining Derrick Jones Jr. and other expiring players

What should the Portland Trail Blazers do with Enes Kanter?

It’s a real shame that Kanter’s most recent post-season performance went the way that it did, because when used in the right setting, I still believe there’s a spot for him in today’s NBA that seems to be shifting away from lumbering big-men.

Let’s not forget, the gentle giant played important minutes for the Blazers when this team made their run to the Western Conference Finals just two seasons ago. That being said, Kanter’s future in Portland appears to be up in the air with the team looking to prioritize defense this off-season.

His inability to bother Nikola Jokic, guard pick and rolls, or switch onto more agile wings was a death-sentence in Portland’s first round matchup against the Nuggets, forcing Terry Stotts to practically remove him from the rotation after the first two games.

If Portland decide to bring Kanter back, they are going to have to bring in another big man in either the Jeff Green mold (a big that can help space the floor on offense and allow the team to switch easier on defense) or the Nerlens Noel mold (a big who causes problems on defense and is an efficient finisher at the rim) in order to provide more options for the coach come playoff time. Read more about backup bigs the team should target here.