30Q: Will Hassan Whiteside Contribute at the NBA Level?
by Tom Ziller on Aug 30, 2010 8:00 AM PDT
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PrintWe're asking 30 questions about the Kings' 2010-11 season.
Hassan Whiteside has spent his summer toughening up, and you have to believe he thinks he'll deserve playing time come Oct. 27.
The problem, of course, is how packed to the brim the new Kings frontcourt has become, and where Whiteside stands in the pecking order. He's a clear fifth behind veteran Samuel Dalembert and Carl Landry and youngsters Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins. And there really are only so many minutes to pass around, especially if the team hopes to be competitive (which will mean relying on the best producers as much as conditions allow).
Last year, Whiteside would have been (ahem) manna from Heaven: a defensive-minded center with condor arms and a swooping gait, a kid who legitmately seems to desire work. But the acquisition of Dalembert and pick of Cousins completely overshadows S.W.A.T., to the point where we almost always talk about him in the future tense, not the present.
Is that right? Can Whiteside potentially contribute this season, and at the NBA level (not the D-League)?
At some point, whether through trade or injury, Whiteside will get an extended look. It might be November, it might be January, it might be April. But he will get a look. It's almost up to chance as to whether that will come sooner or later. When it does, though, we can expect Whiteside will be looking block shots, hit the glass, and finish at the rim. I think he'll have varying levels of success in those categories. He can certainly block shots, but the size and competition level are so different from what he's used to. He wasn't a world-beater on the glass even at Marshall, and his touch at the rim is a huge question mark.
Is the defense enough? Will it be good enough for Paul Westphal to be forced to carve out a regular spot, or will Hassan have to wait another year or two to break into the core rotation? This is a question only this season to come can answer.
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I think he can, I remember reading that article about how Hakeem said that the team that drafted him shouldn't send him to the D-league and allow him a chance to play.
I think if Dali is traded at the deadline, the for sure, Hassan will be able to impose his will on a few games here and there, but if not, I guess the that he’ll hustle and make the most out of teh scrap minutes he’ll be given until the coaching staff decides to give him that extended look.
"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables
Hasheem Thabeet's Statistics last year:
68 games (13 started when Gasol was out with an injury).
13 MPG, 3.1 PPG (58.8 FG%), 3.6 RPG, 1.3 BLK, 2.4 PF.
Hasheem was the #2 pick though, and even though everyone considered him a project, you have to play the #2 pick some. I don’t think Hassan will reach Hasheem’s 68 games (unless a trade of some of our big men occurs, or an injury happens).
I do think Hassan will average about a block every 10 minutes though, and maybe 2.5 boards in that same time. His offense is a little more varied than Thabeet’s (but less efficient since its not all tip ins), and that’s where Hassan’s upside is to me. Some see Marcus Camby, some see Kevin Garnett. I see a LaMarcus Aldridge/Camby hybrid with Whiteside at full potential. Which would be awesome. I don’t expect him to get major PT for a year or two though.
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That would be so sick.
Not a LA fan on his own, but an LA Camby hybrid? With Evans and Cousins and Omri? We are talkin title town if he can turn into that
Can't wait for October
by KingsFanInPortland on Aug 30, 2010 11:18 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
His baseline shot is KG
He plays it with his back to the rim and shoots it just like KG. Not sure that much else yells KG, but that shot is classic.
I didn't major in Common F-cking Sense, but ...
The D-League is largely a waste of time for big men.
There’s no one down there worth a crap to bang against, in most cases. Guards can hone skills and improve their games, the big boys just seem to rack up big numbers that never translate to the NBA.
The roster is likely to look very different by the end of the season, which will likely allow Whiteside a little bit of burn. Maybe he’s the new Gerald Wallace, the guy everyone clamors to see at the end of games. Admittedly, we’re more likely to be down 20 than up by that many, but the games were largely competitive last year, and I expect more of the same.
If Whiteside can build up some lower body strength, I think Westphal will work him into situations where his skill set will present an advantage. So much freakin’ upside here…
Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen. And for a limited time, every third person who follows me on Twitter (andy_sims) gets a free ice cream cone.
Which I will eat.
by andy sims on Aug 30, 2010 8:46 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Blocking shots is one thing.
Playing defense is another.
Defense is contesting shots, not allowing space, not even allowing your matchup to receive the ball. Blocking is only the final stand, after you have failed to do everything else.
I have only watched Whiteside in summer league and in youtube so I can’t really say a lot about him. My concern is that I didn’t see him play so much defense in those few games. It was mostly a hunger to block shots as a 2nd defender. And to be honest, half of them were goaltendings.
The potential is definitely there but he needs a lot of work. Odom’s quote about Javale McGee fits well: “The game is called basketball, not run and jump”.
Agree
some guy named Bill Russell said that blocked shots usually came as a product of defensive mistakes. I think he will have some game changing moments this year when the team is allowing too many guys to the rim and he comes in for 5-10 minutes or so and protects the basket like no one else can.
There are some guys smarter than me, some guys better looking, I take comfort in the fact that there is no guy that is both.
On the plus side
there are not a whole lot of players that want to go down low and post up anymore. Against most teams (read not the {REDACTED}), he could probably get by guarding someone that wants to take 18ft jumpers, and use his athleticism to protect the rim on help defense.
Why he’s a PF..And he has the ability to make them..Are you gonna tell Landry to stop shooting them as well..If you can get you abilities up all over the floor you do so.
Founder of team Omté Caspeen
Do you honestly believe he’s a PF?
I guess you’re one of those who is all for Hawes shooting 3-pointers
To each his own
Cousins is good but he's no mana from heaven.
A- I hate hated Hawes being out from under the basket,
B- Whiteside will be backed down by any decent C in the league, He is a mismatch for most PF’s with his size and length..
C-So now you are probably a person who seesTyreke at 6’7" as a SG not a PG right? Because everything is based on size..
Founder of team Omté Caspeen
A- But Hawes the ability to make 3-pointers. That’s his ability. Are you going to tell him to stop shooting it as well?
B- Whiteside is not quick enough to guard the PF position. Leweis, Dirk, Bosh, et. al
C – Tyreke is 6’6 and he’s NaPG
Cousins is good but he's no mana from heaven.
I honestly don't know what position he's going to end up playing
Certainly he’s playing either the 4 or 5. This year is going to be a learning and building year for him. Can he contribute at the NBA level this year? Sure, I think sims and ElRon nailed it. It going to be in short stretches due to trade, injury or garbage time and he’s he’s going to be better at the end of the season than at the beginning. How’s that for prognostication?
I think when we look back in a couple of years we will still be amazed we got DMC and Whiteside in the same draft. If Whiteside can learn to play the 4 we can end up with one of the absolute best frontcourts in the Association period. Whiteside is going to have a very productive career and is going to be one of the players to take the Kings to the WCF in the future.
"I make love to pressure" - Stephen Jackson
Scheduling Opportunities
I agree that Whiteside can learn more practicing with the big club than logging minutes at Reno. However…
The Kings have the following extended road trips – trips that usually allow for no practice time:
Jan 7 through Jan 18, Feb. 13 through Feb. 26 (with the all star break lumped in the middle), and Mar. 19 through Mar. 28.
These would be opportune times for Whiteside to ply his craft in Reno if he has not ascended above 5th best in the rotation.
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Or, maybe that's the time when the Kings could use Hassan the most
the Jan road trip starts with a game on the 9th in Toronto and ends in Atl on the 17th. That’s 6 games in 9 days with 2 sets of back to backs. I’d imagine that the Kings might be able to get him some minutes during that trip.
During Feb. the Bighorns only play 2 games between Feb 6th and the 24th. They play a back to back on the 11th & 12th at home. So, the only game that Hassan would be able to play while the Kings are on the Kings Feb road trip would be on the 25th.
Reno does play 4 games around the time of the Mar road trip, but by then who knows if Whiteside isn’t getting regular rotation minutes or if he’s even on the team. But, I’m guessing by then the 3 or 4 games won’t mean that much to his development.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
Whiteside seems to be doing everything right,
building lower body strength and working with good teachers, but he isn’t ready yet. And, he probably knows it. Andy said it best above, Hassan will be better off practicing every day with the guys we have than playing any meaningless D-League game.
Right now barring injury or trade, Hassan will see limited minutes, if any at all. But, that’s fine. Enjoy the luxury of having backup insurance on the frontcourt.
There’s been a lot of discussion about Anthony wanting a trade and wanting to sign an extention this season before the new CBA places restricts that might reduce the value of future contracts. Place Dalembert in the same boat. So, I expect the long term future of Sammy with the Kings to be decided by February.
Surely he will be looking at taking less salary whether he signs an extention or lets his contract expire and goes into the FA market. But, if in January, the Kings are interested in resigning him, they will make an offer and have a good idea whether he’s coming back or not. If he won’t resign and wants to look for a team with a better chance at the playoffs, then I can see Whiteside getting more minutes.
"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom
The greatest impact player in NBA History - Tim Donaghy
Depth and decisions
Yes, Hassan will get his turn and make an impact. I see it happening and him getting a lot of minutes next year.
I really don’t see us keeping Dalembert given the depth we have now and that lead to minutes for Whiteside. Dalembert is probably going to stay the next season at most and might even be gone sooner by way of trade.
With us getting Cousins and JT’s natural position being Center, per Jerry Reynolds, it just isn’t likely to we keep Dalembert and that decision opens up more time for Hassan.
Depth with Dalembert Gone:
Center – Cousins and Thompson
PF – Landry and Whiteside
I didn't major in Common F-cking Sense, but ...
Try to trade him
Teams like the Jazz or Heat would give a solid offer for him
Maybe
we could let him play a game for us first… just sayin…
by Sam Pandora on Aug 30, 2010 8:36 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Making sense? Oh, that's a rec'ing.
Rocks are free, and slingshots easily stolen. And for a limited time, every third person who follows me on Twitter (andy_sims) gets a free ice cream cone.
Which I will eat.
a lot of Blazer fans would trade you Rudy[La Diva]Fernandez straight up for him right now
would you do it?
by southern oregon on Aug 31, 2010 6:09 PM PDT reply actions
Hell no SO.
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No mistakes in the tango, Donna. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
I would trade HW for Batum....
…but I’ll save you the time of saying “Hell No”.
EvilCowtownInc: Screwin Suckaz over since 1985...... On Twitter
No mistakes in the tango, Donna. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....
Nic Batum
Definitely on my favorite players list.
Author of the Pick and Scroll. Follow me on Twitter here.
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