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David Aldridge of TNT tweets that Oklahoma City is expected to match the Trail Blazers' four-year, $70 million offer sheet to restricted free agent center Enes Kanter:
Source indicates OKC will, as expected, match the 4-year, $70M offer sheet today for big man Enes Kanter, given Thursday by Portland.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 12, 2015
Following a team press conference Thursday, the Blazers wasted no time inking Kanter to a four-year offer sheet worth the maximum amount allowed. Per NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement rules, the Thunder had 72 hours to either match the offer or decline.
Kanter, 23, holds career averages of 10.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in four seasons with the Jazz and Thunder. Starting 26 games for Oklahoma City following a midseason trade last year, the 6-foot-11 big man increased those averages to 18.7 points and 11 rebounds per game with the Thunder.
-- Chris Lucia | blazersedgepodcast@gmail.com | Twitter
Updates:
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports strikes up what has become the refrain of the summer in Portland:
Sources: Oklahoma City still hasn't notified Portland about its intentions to match the $70M offer sheet to Enes Kanter. Deadline is today.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 12, 2015
NBA exec Bobby Marks explains why that might happen:
For OKC the smart thing to do is to take the entire day. Will tie up POR cap space until the offer is matched, if that is what OKC does.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 12, 2015
USAToday's Sam Amick says "steady as she goes":
That being said, all signs continue to point to OKC matching the four-year, $70 million offer sheet from Portland. They have until tonight.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 12, 2015