Portland Trail Blazers sign free-agent center Enes Kanter

Center Enes Kanter has joined the Portland Trail Blazers.

Kanter was waived by the New York Knicks along with Wesley Matthews following the trade deadline last week.

The 26-year-old announced on Twitter that he had signed with the Blazers for the rest of the season.

Kanter was once a starter for the Knicks but fell out of the rotation altogether when the team, who have the worst record in the league, turned its focus to younger players.

The Knicks could not find a deal to move Kanter before the trade deadline.

The center from Turkey came to the Knicks from Oklahoma City in the Carmelo Anthony trade in September 2017 and averaged 14 points and 10.8 rebounds in 115 games over two seasons.

He had become frustrated after first losing his starting spot and then being phased out completely in recent weeks.