Kiwi NBA player Steven Adams will face competition for his starting role on the Oklahoma City Thunder after the Thunder today re-signed centre Enes Kanter for four years.
Oklahoma City kept Kanter after matching an offer sheet by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Kanter entered the offseason as a restricted freeagent, and he signed a four-year, $70 million offer sheet with Portland last week. However, the Thunder had the right to match Portland's contract, and they did that this afternoon to keep Kanter on the squad.
Oklahoma City acquired Kanter in a trade with the Utah Jazz last season, and the Turkish big man provided an offensive boost to the Thunder while Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka battled injuries. He averaged 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in 49 games with Utah, but those numbers increased to 18.7 points and 11.0 rebounds in 26 games with the Thunder.
However, Kanter also doubles as one of the worst defenders in the league, often looking lost in the pick-and-roll and rating as the sixth worst defender in the NBA by Defensive Real Plus Minus - an ESPN advanced stat.
That news comes as a blow to Adams' likely playing time, with Kanter likely to get the bulk of the minutes alongside Ibaka due to Ibaka's outstanding defensive abilities, making him able to partially cover for Kanter's mistakes.
Adams is not close to being as skilled an offensive player as Kanter, but his screen-setting abilities and vastly superior defence means he should still be part of the Thunder's big man rotation as a key third cog, despite perhaps losing his starting berth.
Several writers noted what the news means for Adams on social media.
Kanter's re-signing puts the Thunder more than $13 million over the NBA's salary cap, with the franchise facing a potential $24 million dollar luxury tax payment at the end of next season, provided they don't make any cost-cutting measures.
However, if Kanter was to leave to Portland, the Thunder would have got nothing in return - resulting in the Thunder's squad being weakened just as they need to give Durant - an upcoming free agent - more reasons to stay put.
Meanwhile, Adams is set to meet with new Thunder coach Billy Donovan this week, where he will get clarification on his role this season, and to see whether he will cleared to play for the Tall Blacks against Australia in August.
