Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter plans to make a 15-hour drive to Boston this weekend with hopes that the team’s practice facility will open as early as Monday for players to engage in voluntary individual workouts.
Kanter, who has spent much of the past two months in Chicago, anticipates having a friend drive him to Boston this weekend and told coach Brad Stevens to expect him at the facility Monday if the team is given the clearance to re-open by that point.
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"Coach Brad actually texted me [Thursday and] said, ‘Let me know when you’re coming so I can put you in a schedule,’” said Kanter. "I don’t think everybody is going to come because it’s not mandatory. I’m like, ‘OK, I’m coming. I’ll be there Monday.’
"I want to be in Boston, man. I miss Boston."
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Kanter said he elected against commercial air travel or even a car service because he would force himself to quarantine for 14 days after arriving in Massachusetts. By limiting the safety concerns, he’s hopeful to dive back into basketball work.
Kanter acknowledged that the state might require the team to wait beyond Monday to open, but he’s eager to get back to even the most basic of basketball activities, all with hopes of a summer restart to the NBA season.
"I need some kind of discipline in my life right now,” said Kanter. "Because, like, right now, I’m waking up late and eating whatever. I work out whenever I want to work out. Once you are in Boston, I think my life is going to be a little bit more disciplined. And I’m going to be more focused because, when you’re not in Boston, your head is all over the world.”