Hassan Whiteside...?!

#1
This former Kings misfit has recently gotten playing time with the Miami Heat, and been an effective rotation piece. Over his last 4 games he is averaging 8.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks while shooting a blistering .625% from the field

I'm sorry, is this not the last player you'd expect to see making an impact on a potential playoff team?
 
#3
I'm happy for Hassan. I always liked him and thought he had the physical ability to really be something in the league. Keep it up big fella! Too bad we don't have him here anymore.
 
#6
Spoelstra had a talk with him before they signed him. Basically said you need to work to stay here. Whiteside has basically been studying film etc whenever he's not doing stuff with the team. Seems like he still had the entitlement attitude and didn't want to do the work.
 
#10
This former Kings misfit has recently gotten playing time with the Miami Heat, and been an effective rotation piece. Over his last 4 games he is averaging 8.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks while shooting a blistering .625% from the field

I'm sorry, is this not the last player you'd expect to see making an impact on a potential playoff team?
Yes and no. He clearly has always had the ability to be (at the very least) a bigger, more athletic version of Chris Andersen. And that's essentially the role they have him in though he still has a long way to go to get to the level Andersen played at in terms of individual defense and court awareness/BBIQ. But he just seemed like a guy that flat out didn't get it. I honestly wondered during his time with the Kings if he had psychological issues - he didn't seem to be aware of the reality of things. So I can't say he's the last guy I'd expect to make it in the NBA - guys with his physical tools SHOULD be playing in the NBA if they give the most modest of efforts to do so - but I'm surprised to see him buying in and growing as a player.

Spoelstra had a talk with him before they signed him. Basically said you need to work to stay here. Whiteside has basically been studying film etc whenever he's not doing stuff with the team. Seems like he still had the entitlement attitude and didn't want to do the work.
I don't know if it was entitlement or what but something was clearly going on with Whiteside, at least during his brief tenure with the Kings. He just didn't seem to care or to understand. Just strange how out of touch he was - rarely in position, not seeming to grasp the reality of the situation and how tenuous his spot in the NBA was. He's playing really well in this stretch right now and I'm sure there are Kings fans who will see that and wish the team hadn't given up on him. But in my opinion Whiteside was never going to come around unless he was cut and out of the NBA. He had to be shaken out of that fog he seemed to perpetually wander around in and it looks like that finally happened to some extent.

I'll be curious to see how far he progresses. Smart, low risk signing by the Heat.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#14
what in the hell is going on with Whiteside? a 23 and 16 game and it was versus the Clippers too....I guess players drafted by this team hardly pan out until they leave huh? epic.
 
#20

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.
 
#21
Good for him, I'm happy to see the strides he has made.

I initially want to say, "Why didn't we keep this guy?!". But I know him moving on was inevitable. At the time, he just simply wasn't ready. He had to bounce around a lot and work on his game a tremendous amount - and it looks like he's been doing that!

Too bad it didnt work out here, but, good for him.
 
#22
Hassan Whiteside has definitely been a pleasant surprise for the Miami Heat, but let's be honest, he only had several good games (around 4 games I guess).

But letting him go was inevitable, I can't see how Hassan could improve and play like he does today if he played for us, he has a very solid and stable competitor at the Center spot, this guy is obviously DeMarcus Cousins, Cousins is getting the vast majority of the minutes in the rotation and that will leave Hassan with only few minutes where he wouldn't be able to showcase his skills, his condition in Miami is the ideal condition for him, Chris Andersen is very inconsistent player and certainly not one of the elite centers in the league, Hassan played beyond expectations and was able to be promoted to the starting five of the Miami Heat.

But really overall I don't think that his eye-opening performances that he is putting on will last for long....
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#23
let's be realistic here....he wasn't going to amount to anything here especially with the players ahead of him and all the dysfunction in the organization. How many teams has he been and how many times has he been waived before finally getting a shot? you don't hear too many of these feel good stories and it's still too early to label him as a productive NBA player.
 
#24
Good for him, I'm happy to see the strides he has made.

I initially want to say, "Why didn't we keep this guy?!". But I know him moving on was inevitable. At the time, he just simply wasn't ready. He had to bounce around a lot and work on his game a tremendous amount - and it looks like he's been doing that!

Too bad it didnt work out here, but, good for him.

Yeah, unfortunately we didn't have the time, money or the roster spot to develop him. Always thought he could eventually develop into a good back up or complimentary player as he is very athletic for his size.