5. Hassan Whiteside
We’ve reached our first surprise on the list, at least for those who check box scores rather than watch the actual games. Yes, Hassan Whiteside is averaging a league-leading 3.9 blocks per game this season, which would put him in an elite list of player — including Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Dikembe Mutombo — to ever average that many blocks for a whole season.
But the Miami Heat‘s defense is actually better without him on the floor, he’s a limited offensive player and his FAR too cocky for a player on a $981,348 salary. Whiteside is heading for a big payday this summer, but there’s a reason Miami may have considered trading him to avoid overpaying for his services in free agency this summer.
If the Heat trade Whiteside, the team that trades for him will have the same Early Bird rights problem. That severely limits his trade value
— Brian Geltzeiler (@BGeltzNBA) January 29, 2016
Simply put, Whiteside is a head case. What do you think throwing a max contract at a personality like that is going to do? He’s only 26 years old and is averaging a respectable 12.2 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game, so the appeal is pretty evident.
But from his frequent on-court scuffles to his lack of remorse following those events to the stories about his pride, Whiteside is a risky acquisition.
All this is before you consider that his minimum salary makes it difficult to navigate a trade that deals equal salary AND talent, or that the Heat don’t own his Bird Rights, which means any team could sign him for the same max amount Miami — or whatever team trades for him — could offer.
Next: No. 4