Player: Hassan Whiteside : Hassan Whiteside Height: 7’0″ Shoots: Right Strengths: Whiteside is a seven foot athlete with elite length and elite timing. The result – the leagues best shot blocker, by far. Whiteside is a rim protector whose mere presence consistently alters shots. On the offensive side, Whiteside is an elite pick-and-roll finisher. He also has a respectable jump shot out to about 15 feet. Finally, as a 65% free throw shooter, teams cannot employ a hack-a-Whiteside strategy. Position: C : C Weight: 265 Age: 27 Weaknesses: Although known for defense, Whiteside is a poor on ball defender. He has problems defending postup players, often over playing their first move. Whiteside is also a poor pick-and-roll defender, often giving opponents uncontested mid-range shots. He also has a tendency to chase stats, going for blocks when he should box out his man. On the offensive side, Whiteside needs to improve his passing. Too often, he becomes a black hole when he receives the ball, forcing bad shots. He needs to continue to improve as a screen setter. He needs to continue to improve his postup game

The deal: Four years, $98 million dollars. The fourth year is a player option.

Analysis: With Whiteside, it’s all about potential. Last year was his first full year in the NBA. While Whiteside has always possessed the talent, it took an organization like the Heat to reign in his personality and bring out the talent. Like every second year player, there is room for Whiteside to grow, especially in making ‘winning plays’. What’s amazing is that Whiteside already averaged 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks in only 29 minutes per game. In the worse case scenario, if Whiteside has peaked, his contract is only a slight overpay. On the other hand, Whiteside could easily become a 20 point, 10 rebound, 3 block player for the next 4-5 years. He could be a cornerstone around which to build a franchise. Whiteside is in his physical prime and should maintain his performance for the next 4-5 years. Although it was expensive, the Heat couldn’t afford to lose Whiteside’s potential – he just might be the most sought after commodity in the NBA, a game changing player.

On-court Impact: Game changing (potentially)

Grade: A