This will likely be the offseason of the bigs in the NBA, which could play well for upcoming free agent Hassan Whiteside.
Whiteside was once a premier center with the Miami Heat, a club that opted to part ways with the center after choosing to make Bam Adebayo their frontcourt threat for the future. After being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a four-team trade, Hassan Whiteside proved once more that he's capable of being the No.1 option for a team in terms of rim protection.
At 31, Hassan Whiteside is coming off a four-year, $98 million contract that he signed with the Miami Heat. He'll enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent, allowing him to sort through choices freely. Though the Trail Blazers would like to bring back the center, he was initially brought in only to supply a need in the absence of Jusuf Nurkic after a devastating leg injury.
The Marshall University product will likely command a contract that is far less than the one he's coming off of, but he will still be a hot commodity as the offseason progresses.
Here are three teams that Hassan Whiteside could likely land on in free agency.
3. Boston Celtics
On the record, the Boston Celtics will make it known to the press time after time that they are comfortable with the three-man center rotation they've deployed over the years. However, with the uncertainty that rotation brings against certain lineups, the Celtics will likely once again be in the market for a superior big man this offseason. Enter Hassan Whiteside.
Daniel Theis was arguably the most productive center that Boston had this season, but he struggled at times against the more dominating centers around the league—namely Adebayo. Backup center Robert Williams is possibly a player the Celtics will look to retain long term in hopes of developing him into an All-Star in the years to come, but that doesn't solve the issue of immediate contention.
If Danny Ainge is able to lure Whiteside after freeing up some cap space to possibly a mid-level exception contract, the likes of Theis and Enes Kanter may be removed from the equation. Hassan Whiteside could provide the immediate interior defense and rebounding that the Celtics have desired for years.
2. Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers didn't get their shot at the Los Angeles Lakers this season, but had they, the problem of containing Anthony Davis may have come into question. The Brow averaged 28.3 points along with 7.5 rebounds against the Clippers this season, a stat line that could become even more dangerous when the postseason is thrown into the mix.
Whether or not the Clippers move to bring Montrezl Harrell back is irrelevant, as even Harrell could use some help down low with Davis. Hassan Whiteside can provide a strong presence of defense against Davis as he looks to bang down low for his usual easy buckets.
The same could be said about the Denver Nuggets star big man Nikola Jokic, who also shined against the Clippers during the playoffs. Jokic was able to fire at will while also grabbing practically every rebound available against the Clippers, which aided in their demise. Hassan Whiteside is coming off a season in which he averaged 13.5 rebounds per contest, which could be critical when the Clippers face off against these two teams again.
Hassan Whiteside, though looking for a high-priced contract possibly, may buy in to the fact of being placed on a team that's built for immediate contention behind Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
1. Golden State Warriors
After a year-long hiatus from the playoffs, the Golden State Warriors and Hassan Whiteside know that the gritty Western Conference won't just let them resume their place amongst the hierarchy—they'll have to take it. Aside from being high in the 2020 NBA Draft with the No. 2 pick, the Bay Area club will be looking to make some additional moves to elevate them from the muck of being a lottery team.
They've already brought on Andrew Wiggins in a trade for D'Angelo Russell ahead of the 2020 trade deadline, believing that Wiggins would be the better fit alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson next season. With the signing of a stellar big such as Hassan Whiteside, the Warriors' starting five would be set for contention next season.
It's no secret that the Warriors are on the market for a big, meaning that Hassan Whiteside has possibly looked at Golden State as an option to utilize his talents as well. Whiteside would pair well up front with Draymond Green and present a unique defensive front that complements the offense led by Curry and Thompson.
Upon signing with the Warriors, he once more places himself with a team that's a legit threat in the Western Conference versus opposed to exiting in only the first round of the playoffs as he did with the Trail Blazers.
Follow Us
Subscribe