Hassan Whiteside’s NBA Career has been a roller coaster. Whiteside started his career with the Sacramento Kings but he wasn’t able to prove his worth there as the Kings did not give him a chance to show his talents. Whiteside then played 2 years overseas and then went back to the states to play for the NBA D-League. He was discovered in the D-League and the Miami Heat took a gamble in signing him and it was a good decision for them as Whiteside thrives with the Heat and dominated the paint.
Whiteside proved that he can match-up with the top big men in the league like Joel Embiid and DeMarcus Cousins. He’s a solid rim protector and an elite inside scorer that uses his strength and length to dominantly grab the offensive boards and put the ball easily close to the rim. It’s amazing how Whiteside struggled in his career and found a way to get back to the NBA.
I also thought of something here, what if LeBron James didn’t leave Miami? What if James, Wade and Bosh team up with Hassan Whiteside? Miami could’ve been a more dominant team with the big three adding a rim protector they are lacking in their championship run against San Antonio Spurs. They could’ve win more championships with Hassan Whiteside as their defensive anchor.
He has been successful with his stay in Miami but injuries stop him from becoming one of the most dominant big man in the league. And during the 2017-2018 season, Whiteside was sidelined for 28 games and when he comes back his role was reduced and he only played limited minutes. Whiteside was pissed off and he expressed his disappointment publicly. Whiteside still managed to average 14 points per game, 11.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks with limited minutes on the floor.
The Heat also found a replacement for Whiteside. Their rookie Bam Adebayo shows some firepower down low and is set to be their starting center when Hassan Whiteside is traded. Now let’s talk about the teams that needs a dominant big man.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers now are lacking defensive powers especially a legit rim protector. JaVale McGee might be a good rim protector but sometimes he’s just not too good and his basketball IQ is not too high to be a defensive anchor. Whiteside can be a major upgrade in the center position. He has high defensive IQ and can help the Lakers bolster their defense. LeBron wasn’t able to play with a dominant big man in their prime and this might be a chance to play with one. LeBron can feed Whiteside in the paint and they can be a great combo. Same goes for Rajon Rondo who is one of the best passers in NBA history.
Toronto Raptors
Toronto is a great destination for Hassan Whiteside. He and Ibaka can be the most dominant defensive front court in the NBA. Also Toronto is all set now to dominate the Eastern Conference. They are now seriously aiming for a championship and they are all in this year because they do not want to waste the opportunity of having Kawhi Leonard in their roster. Having Whiteside as their starting center can be an upgrade for Jonas Valanciunas who is lacking defensive consistency. This will definitely be a great move for the Raptors if they were able to pull this one.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers lost their dominant center DeAndre Jordan to the Dallas Mavericks and now the Clippers may start rebuilding after losing all three of their all-stars who became the cornerstone of the franchise for several years. They may now have a fresh start but I think the Clippers still wants to make a playoff run. They recently traded guard Austin Rivers for Washington’s center Marcin Gortat to fill the void of their starting center. Gortat is aging now and I don’t think they can rely on him long term. So the Clippers should make a move to acquire Hassan Whiteside and get him ready for their future. Whiteside can provide what Jordan left in the team. Gortat is too slow and old and his defensive ability is way too weak than Jordan’s. Whiteside’s defensive skills can be compared with Jordan’s and the Clippers don’t need more adjustment if they get Whiteside.
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