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The Portland Trail Blazers are making a trade to re-acquire center Enes Kanter. The Blazers will send forward Mario Hezonja to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the deal, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Boston Celtics receive future draft considerations. They also give up the 30th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Desmond Bane.
Portland is acquiring Boston's Enes Kanter in a three-way deal with Memphis, sources tell ESPN. Memphis gets Mario Hezonjia and 30th pick (Desmond Bane) from draft night deal as part of trade too. Celtics get a future Memphis draft consideration.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 20, 2020
Bobby Marks says the Blazers will also employ their $7 million trade exception, created by trading away Kent Bazemore last season, to complete the deal.
Portland has a $7M trade exception that Kanter will slide into.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 20, 2020
Kanter has one year left at $5M.
Hezonja has one year also at $2M. https://t.co/7YXiwPT6iA
Kanter played 23 regular season games for the Blazers in 2018-19, averaging 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds in 22.3 minutes, shooting 57.7% from the field. He also started in 14 of Portland’s 16 playoffs appearances that season, averaging 11.4 points and 9.7 rebounds in 28.8 minutes.
Kanter is scheduled to make $5 million in the coming season, the last year of his current contract.
Hezonja averaged 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds on 42.2% shooting, 30.8% from the arc in 16.4 minutes over 53 games for the Blazers last season. He is owed $2 million this season in the final year of his contract.
Update:
Kanter adds his reaction...
Home Sweet Home ❤️
— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) November 20, 2020
Update:
Jared Weiss of The Athletic adds context.
Reporting over in @TheAthleticNBA app on the Enes Kanter trade to Portland. Kanter was able to choose between going to Memphis and Portland and elected to return back to where he had the best run in his career, per league sources. pic.twitter.com/rh5s0F84Eq
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) November 20, 2020
The Celtics are trading Enes Kanter to the Blazers as an expansion to the deal with Memphis that sends MEM the rights to Desmond Bane for a future MEM pick consideration, league sources confirmed to The Athletic. ESPN first to report.
Kanter was given the choice between Memphis & Portland and preferrred his role with the Blazers, per source. BOS creates a $5m trade exception in this deal.