Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts is optimistic about Hassan Whiteside's run with his team, after general manager Neil Olshey made a bold move by trading two of his role players to acquire the 7-footer.
Whiteside will likely start at center, replacing Jusuf Nurkic, who is expected to be out for part of the season after fracturing his leg prior to the team's 2019 playoff run.
The recently re-signed coach noted Whiteside's strong rapport with the Blazers' backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum should pay dividends right away:
“Dame and CJ have a great relationship with Hassan, I think he's coming into a great situation with Nurk being out for a while,” said Stotts during an interview in SiriusXM NBA Radio. “I think Hassan is going to have an immediate impact on our team because of what he can do, particularly at the defensive end. I think Dame and CJ being two great pick-and-roll players, I think that will help Hassan. We added some shooting to the team. I think it's a great fit, especially with Nurk being out for however long he's going to be out.
“I think Hassan, he's going to change the scenery. Like I said, the relationship that he already has with Dame and CJ, I think it's going to go a long way.”
Moments after the trade became official Terry Stotts explained why he's excited to add @youngwhiteside to the @trailblazers #RipCity pic.twitter.com/bM5RH1sSqK
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 6, 2019
Whiteside hasn't been a dominant defensive presence the past two seasons, which have been absolute hell for him as a player, dealing with injuries and plenty of setbacks with the Miami Heat.
If he can find himself to be the eraser that once led the league in blocks per game, he could be more than just a replacement cog, but instead a game-changer who can put the Blazers in serious contention in the West.
Follow Us
Subscribe