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Analyzing latest free-agent deals: OKC had no choice with Kanter

While the big prizes of NBA free agency have already been claimed, there were a steady stream of moves over the weekend as teams fill out their roster, including a big decision for the Oklahoma City Thunder on whether to match an offer to Enes Kanter and a rare veteran contract extension. Let's break down what all these moves mean.

Player movement | Free-agent tracker | Elhassan: FA Big Board Insider


Enes Kanter

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Contract: Four years, $70 million (matched offer sheet from Portland Trail Blazers)

What it means: As expected, the Thunder matched Portland's offer sheet to Kanter and will pay the restricted free agent the maximum $70 million over the next four seasons. Oklahoma City now goes over the NBA's luxury-tax threshold and is scheduled to pay $24.5 million in tax, based on my calculations.

Let's start with the obvious: Kanter is not worth $70 million, even as the cap rises. As I wrote Friday, based in part on his poor rating in ESPN's real plus-minus last season (-2.7, 58th among centers), I project Kanter's value at $21 million over the next three seasons. He can exceed that by improving his atrocious defense in the Thunder's scheme and maintaining the production he had on offense after the trade to Oklahoma City, but that's a large gap to make up.