Enes Kanter is telling the truth about the Utah Jazz and himself


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SALT LAKE CITY — Enes Kanter is telling the truth about the Utah Jazz, about his time with the team and about himself.

In his first return to Utah after being traded from the franchise that drafted him, Kanter wasted no time taking shots at the Jazz. On finding himself in an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey, Kanter remarked, “Oh man, this is how an NBA team is,” insinuating that the Jazz lacked a certain professionalism provided by his new team.

In a recent article with The Oklahoman, Kanter doubled down on his comments. The fourth-year big man told reporter Anthony Slater, “I still feel like I wasted my time because I couldn’t play many minutes.”

Kanter is telling the truth. As a rookie and a sophomore, he didn’t get much playing time off the bench. In the NBA, rarely are top three picks used a backups through the first two seasons of their career. To the Jazz defense, the majority of top three picks aren’t drafted to teams that finished only four games below .500 the previous season. Kanter found his way to Utah via a first-round draft pick owed to the Jazz from the New Jersey Nets rather than by a team that earned the pick by finishing among the worst records in the NBA. And yet, Kanter’s comments can be understood, 13 minutes per game as a rookie, and 15 as a sophomore are uniquely low.

Kanter also claimed to be rusty, again understandable and truthful. Having been ruled ineligible during his one year at Kentucky after receiving improper cash benefits while playing overseas, the big man likely needed more court time to round into shape, something the Jazz could have provided.

But there is one truth that will always hang over Kanter’s head, and it’s a sign of the growth the 22-year-old still must show to earn the minutes he feels he deserves in the NBA. Kanter admitted of his time in Utah, “I didn’t bring it every night.”

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Despite competing with now All-NBA center Al Jefferson and future All-Star Paul Millsap for playing time, Kanter was also vying for minutes against Derrick Favors, another top three pick, drafted a year earlier, with a perceived higher ceiling. Once the Jazz moved on from Jefferson and Millsap, Kanter had free rein over the minutes, but left the Jazz wanting more.

Uncharacteristically, the Jazz bought a first-round draft pick to select Rudy Gobert with the 27th pick of the 2013 NBA draft. Even in Gobert’s rookie season, Kanter started in 72 of the 73 games in which he appeared, averaging a career high 26 minutes, all at the age of 22.

Under a new coach, Kanter was again given the starting job for the Jazz, increasing his per minute average to 27 while getting a career high 11.9 field goal attempts per game. And still, the organization was left wondering if they’d be better off with Gobert.

Then Kanter removed all doubt. After requesting and being granted a trade, the Jazz have gone on a tear, climbing to 18-9 since the All-Star break, mostly on the backs of players, who using Kanter’s words, are willing to bring it every night.

To the coaching staff’s credit, they’ve recognized the improved effort, and rewarded it with court time. Monday night, Developmental League call-up Bryce Cotton set a career high with 21 points and four assists against the Dallas Mavericks. Before that, other Developmental League players Jack Cooley and Chris Johnson earned minutes on the court by playing hard every time their number was called.

More over, the Jazz sacrificed minutes of more proven players in Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Trey Burke to allow the little used players, including Grant Jerrett and veteran Jeremy Evans, neither with contractual guarantees next season, to play more minutes and potentially earn an audition with a future franchise. It was a stand-up move by an organization with little to gain from these players' extended minutes.

And yet, it must again be noted that Kanter told the truth. Despite starting towards the end of his career in Utah, he could have played more minutes as a rookie and a sophomore. There was rust that needed to be shaken clean, something that could have been done with more floor time, both in college and in the pros.

After defeating the Mavericks on Monday night, Jazz coach Quin Synder said of his unheralded roster, “When players play hard it’s easy to play them.” Again, it must be noted, Kanter told the truth when he said, “I didn’t bring it every night.”


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About the Author: Ben Anderson ------------------------------

Ben Anderson is the co-host of Gunther in the Afternoon with Kyle Gunther on 1320 KFAN from 3-7, Monday through Friday. Read Ben's Utah Jazz blog at 1320kfan.com, and follow him on Twitter @BenKFAN.

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