The Portland Trail Blazers are taking over the Boston Celtics Center Enes Kanter as part of a three-way deal that also includes the Memphis Grizzlies, sources told ESPN.
The Grizzlies get Mario Hezonja and the 30th choice (Desmond Bane) as part of the deal from draft night deals. The Celtics will receive a future Memphis draft.
Kanter returns to the Blazers where he had a great time after signing as a buyout free agent in 2019. In 23 games with Portland, Kanter averaged 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds.
Kanter’s $ 5 million salary goes into Portland’s $ 7 million trading exemption, allowing the Blazers to re-pair Jusuf Nurkic with Kanter, a model that led Portland to the Western Conference finals.
Nurkic sustained an injury at the end of the season but will now be the starter with Kanter as his replacement.
Zach Collins, who missed most of the 2019-20 season due to injury, is recovering from an ankle surgery.
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