Chris Towers
When it comes to young players, I tend to be pretty conservative. It's never fun to be the #WellActually guy who is throwing water on the latest basketball phenomenon, but that's just my nature. If you haven't done it before -- preferably repeatedly and over a decent amount of time -- I have a hard time believing in it.
So, amid the Hassan Whiteside craze that is currently sweeping the basketball world, I had to be a wet blanket. I can't help it.
Whiteside has been a tremendous story this season, perhaps the only bright spot on what has otherwise been a pretty mediocre year for the Heat. He is 11 for 16 for 24 points, with 15 rebounds and 13 blocks in his last 36 minutes of gametime, and has been one of the most productive players in the league on a per-minute basis this season. If you're wondering whether you should pick him up for your Fantasy team, the answer at this point has to be a resounding "YES."
However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't temper expectations. Whiteside was hardly even in the league before he was out of it, logging 111 minutes in two seasons before toiling away in China and Lebanon for two years before landing back stateside. Even during this breakout run, he has logged very limited minutes, playing just 287 on the season overall and has yet to play even 30 in a single game so far. Heat coach Eric Spoesltra has mostly used Whiteside in brief bursts, where he has been able to overwhelm the competition with his length and athleticism, but we haven't really had a chance to see what he does when he has to conserve himself for long stretches, with an opposing team that has been able to game plan for him.
We're about to see what Whiteside can really do, and I'm excited for it. Few players have ever done what he is right now -- 5.8 blocks per-36 minutes is an incredible number, not matter how many caveats you have to throw in. The Heat have to give him as many minutes as he can handle at this point, just to see if he is for real. Fantasy owners who have already added him should be thrilled by the thought of him getting 25-plus minutes for the foreseeable future, even if there's a chance he flames out.
There are things to like about Whiteside's game, even beyond the obvious. He fouls 5.0 times per-36 minutes, which is a lot, but not so much that the Heat won't be able to rely on him. He's not Jusuf Nurkic, who can't stay on the floor because of how much he fouls. He has shown a great rapport with Heat guard Dwyane Wade on offense, and has managed to increase his usage without a dip in his efficiency in the month of January. He is using 22 percent of the Heat's possessions while on the floor in nine January games, and is shooting 70.4 percent from the field, with nearly all of his shots coming right in the basket area.
That's going to be the key for Whiteside if he is going to remain a useful Fantasy option. The Heat are unlikely to ask Whiteside to do much to create for himself, with just 18 of his 87 field-goal attempts coming after he has dribbled the ball. As long as Miami can keep on getting him the ball right near the rim, Whiteside's athleticism and strong hands can do the rest, and this.
The downside with Whiteside is minimal, since he's a free agent pickup. However, with so many other young centers flourishing alongside Whiteside, you have to think about the opportunity cost involved in picking him up and rostering him. You probably couldn't drop Rudy Gobert for him, among the other young, promising big men getting into the spotlight lately. Other than that, however, Whiteside looks like he should be the No. 1 priority at the position. Drop Nurkic, Alex Len or even Timofey Mozgov in order to make sure you get a chance at Whiteside's potential.
He may not be a long-term starting option at center. Whiteside still has a very limited track record of success in the NBA, and he might turn into a flash in the pan. However, he has clearly shown enough right now that there is no reason he shouldn't be owned in all Fantasy leagues at this point.
첫댓글 영어 해석은 워낙 영어울렁증이 있는 저인지라 어려울거 같고, 뽀빠이 존스님은 닉네임이 정말 잘 어울리는거 같습니다. 정말 힘찬 뽀빠이의 기운이 넘쳐흐르는 글으로 엔게의 활력소 역할을 톡톡히 해주고 있으셔서 감사함을 느낍니다.
오늘도 뽀빠이님 글을 보고 힘을 내봅니다.^^
화이트사이드가 최근 떠오르고 있는 빅맨인데, 이 선수가 찻잔 속의 태풍이 아니라 보란듯이 정착해서 NBA를 대표하는 빅맨으로 커주기를 소망해봅니다. 아직 나이도 창창하고, 가능성이 충분하다고 봅니다.
과찬이십니다 ㅎ 근데 사실 저는 데 닉을 별로 안좋아합니다 ㅋ 키드 관련된건 너무 흔해서 특이한걸로 고른다고 선태한게 이거구요 ㅋ
제 바램은 하산이 오닐보다 모닝처럼 전사로 컸으면 합니다!
@뽀빠이 존스 '뽀빠이' 하니까 살짝 떠오르는게 있습니다. 키드가 넷츠에서 선수생활할 때 자유투 쏠때 루틴이 생각납니다.
아마 기억하실 겁니다.^^ 자유투 쏘기 전에 공 2번인가 한번 튀기고 손가락에 뽀뽀한 다음에 바깥으로 내보내는 그 모습이 떠오르네요. 가끔씩 봐도 키드의 한창 때 자유투 루틴은 뭔가 특이했던거 같습니다.
화이트사이드가 샼보다는 모닝의 신체에 조금 더 가깝고, 무게도 모닝의 무게에 더 가까운데다 좀더 밑바닥부터 시작한지라 투지가 넘치는 빅맨이 되는 게 괜찮다는 생각이 들긴 합니다. 동의합니다.^^
@뽀빠이 존스 닉넴이 90년대의 파포인 파파이존스에서 따오신게 맞나요?
@타이리스 댈러스 3j의 파트너 로날드 '파파이' 존스요 ㅎ
@D.MoAD 그거 아내에게 받치던 키스였는데 이혼하고 끝냈습니다 ㅠ
근데 그거랑 뽀빠이랑 무슨?ㅋ
@뽀빠이 존스 그 루틴의 결말이 슬프군요. ㅠㅠ
아하, 별거 아니고, 손가락을 입에다 "뽀"하고, 그 다음에 바깥으로 보내는 "빠이"라는 의미를 덧붙여 보았습니다. 힘으로 상징되는 "뽀빠이"와는 연관성이 하나도 없지만, 슬쩍 글자를 떼어내어 덧붙여 봤는데, 잘 생각해보니까 결말이 매우 슬프군요. ㅠㅠ
알게 모르게 불편함을 또 드린거 같습니다. 조금 더 연구하겠습니다.
@D.MoAD ㅋㅋ 불편함이라구요?
전혀! 재밌네요 오히려ㅎ 신선한 발상이에요... 제꺼보다 훌륭한걸요^^
@뽀빠이 존스 좋게 봐주셨다니 다행입니다.^^