Hoops Habit
Fansided

The San Antonio Spurs’ Free Agency Options: The Unorthodox Edition

By Tiffany Davis

Mar 23, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (21) and Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) talk during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (21) and Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) talk during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 3, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) has a shot blocked by Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. The Heat won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) has a shot blocked by Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. The Heat won 102-96. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

Hassan Whiteside, Center

Hassan Whiteside is a beast around the rim. He averaged 11.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game during the regular season., and only slightly less during the playoffs. He was named to the 2016 Second NBA All-Defense Team.

He bounced around overseas in China and Lebanon, and in the D-League, before returning to the Miami Heat and making them a contender. Though the Heat lost in the second round to the Raptors, they wouldn’t have gotten there at all without Whiteside — especially with Chris Bosh being sidelined again by blood clots.

BUT…Whiteside has a tendency to be a problem child. He sometimes makes unwise plays and picks up unnecessary fouls. He has a temper. His habit of flexing after making a block would be enough to make Pop strangle him (in case you forgot, posturing and taunting are not the Spurs Way). And he hasn’t yet learned that silence, sometimes, is golden — especially when you are seeking a max contract.

Bless his heart.

Still…one could only wonder how he would fare under a more no-nonsense coach like Pop, and in the relatively egoless Spurs system. Discipline has extended many a floundering career (just ask Rajon Rondo).

The upside is that Whiteside is 27, which means he could age gracefully with The New Big Three: Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Danny Green.

The downside: Whiteside played himself into a large payday, lots of teams are sniffing around, and the Heat don’t hold his full Bird Rights, so he’s going to be expensive. And, he chooses to wear the number 21, which is an issue in and of itself (even IF Duncan were to retire and IF he was gracious enough to allow another player to wear his number–as Bruce Bowen did for Aldridge–the Spurs fan base would riot).

If anyone can work a financial mojo, it’s Spurs general manager R.C. Buford and Pop. You never know. Whiteside would look mighty fine in Silver and Black. Just saying.

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