Enes Kanter Claims Portland Trail Blazers Gave Him 6 Minutes to Make Decision

According to Enes Kanter, the Portland Trail Blazers had a take-it-or-leave-it mentality when it came to re-signing him. After it was announced that Kanter would sign a two-year, $10 million deal with the Boston Celtics, ESPN’s Marc Spears revealed a text exchange with Kanter, who explained why he didn’t return to Portland.

If this happened to be the case, it’s pretty wild that the Blazers would treat Kanter in such fashion. After acquiring him from the Knicks last season, Kanter was a productive player for the Blazers who battled through various injuries to remain on the court. To give him this kind of treatment seems unfair.

With the news that Hassan Whiteside is heading to Portland, it now makes more sense why Portland may have sought a quick answer from Kanter. They most likely were in contract talks with the Heat and wanted to know whether Kanter was in or out before striking a deal for Whiteside.

Whether Kanter’s text is the truth or exaggerated, it’s not surprising to see one of the NBA’s most vocal players in the spotlight again.

UPDATE: Damian Lillard, recently awarded a four-year supermax extension, jumped in to support his team’s management, and disputed Kanter’s claim.