Hassan Whiteside drops 23 & 16 on the Clippers and calls out Doc Rivers.
"I got a chip on my shoulder," Whiteside said. "Every team in the NBA said no to me. Especially this team. I mean, I couldn't even get a training camp invite. The Clippers thought it was a good idea; Doc said no. I tried to get a workout then; Doc said no."
As most of you may remember Hassan as our 2nd round draft pick from Cousins' year. His years with us were underwhelming and Hassan seemed lost mentally.
Since being let go, he's put in time playing overseas and in the D-League and afterbouncing around trying to get a training camp invite and eventually being waived at training camp by the Grizzlies. He's now found a home with the Heat and has really come to his own in the last 5 games or so.
I watch his last 2 games against the Blazers and Clippers and he really did well. The good thing is he's finally realize what he can do and what he can't. On offense, he tries to establish deep position and gets rewarded with a pass and a high percentage shot. He's also got a pretty good chemistry going with DWade and the other guards with pick and roll and alley loops. On D, he stays big and uses his length and keeps a body on his man. Oh, he also rebounds and he tries. He is doing exactly what the coach would be telling him to do and nothing else.
Don't get me wrong, he is no Boogie. But he knows it and he is becoming a very serviceable big. Could've been that rebounding big that we are looking for to back up Cousins. But hindsight is what we know it to be. If he stayed with us, he may have never developed. I'm happy to see Hassan do well but back then, I was a little disapointed that we let him walk since we could've kept him for minimum salary.