Will Sam Presti Actually Match Enes Kanter's Max Contract?
Enes Kanter signed a four-year, $70 million offer sheet with Portland — per Woj, as always — and Thunder general manager Sam Presti said out loud that he “intends” to match it:
Was able to catch up with Sam Presti. His comment on the reported Enes Kanter offer sheet: pic.twitter.com/bNjcjKGoJh
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 9, 2015
It’d be relatively surprising if this actually happens, and nearly everybody on my Twitter timeline is predicting it won’t (however, Woj did write that Presti “had planned his payroll and roster for the possibility of a maximum offer sheet”). Kanter is a nice player. But, the optics of reaching into the luxury tax to pay him after Oklahoma City sent James Harden packing would cause quite a stir amongst the basketbloggers. It’s already begun:
This is the counterpoint, though:
Rock and a hard place. Pay Kanter and the luxury tax or risk KD walking cause you're not invested.
— Jeff Siegel (@jgsiegel) July 9, 2015
The NBA CBA is the gift that keeps on giving.