Portland Trail Blazers newcomer Hassan Whiteside has been dealing with a sprained right ankle over the past few days, and there were doubts whether he would be available for the team in their season opener against the Denver Nuggets.

However, Whiteside himself confirmed that he'll be ready to suit up for the Blazers in opening night.

With Jusuf Nurkic not expected to return until around February next year and Pau Gasol still recovering from his ankle injury, it is important for the Blazers to have Whiteside fully healthy.

After a breakout 2016-17 season with the Miami Heat — which saw him put up 17.0 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks — Whiteside hasn't been able to follow it up and raise his game to the next level.

In the 2018-19 season, he put up 12.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per contest. Hassan is just 30 years old though, and he is still capable of putting up great numbers. Perhaps, a fresh start with the Blazers is what he really needs.

Portland is expected to be one of the best teams in the loaded Western Conference, and if Whiteside can prove he's still a dominant big man who can contribute on both ends of the floor, he'll definitely help the team win more games.