NBA: Ranking all 30 starting centers for 2019-20

Speaking of Hassan Whiteside, the veteran will be stepping into the breach as Jusuf Nurkic recovers from a gruesome compound fracture of his right fibula sustained in March.

The Portland Trail Blazers gave up Meyers Leonard to the Miami Heat and Maurice Harkless to the LA Clippers to get Whiteside, who is entering the final year of the four-year, $98 million deal he signed with the Heat in July 2016.

Whiteside’s laying time continues to decrease in Miami last season, as he started only 53 games and played off the bench for the first time in three years. He isn’t the rim protector he once was, getting 1.9 blocks per game last season, down from the NBA-leading 3.7 he had in 2015-16.

That dip isn’t just a byproduct of reduced minutes, either. Per 36 minutes, Whiteside’s block rate has decreased from 4.6 to 2.9 over that span.

In 2018-19, Whiteside averaged 12.3 points and 11.3 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game, shooting 57.1 percent overall. His free throw shooting cratered, however, into the old neighborhood of Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan, as he hit just 44.9 percent.

Whiteside was 2-for-16 from 3-point range as well, spoiling his perfect career percentage after going 2-for-2 the previous year.

Whiteside developed something of a mid-range game over the years, shooting 43.5 percent from deep mid-range last season, but his most effective weapon is still the dunk — he had 151 flushes last season as part of shooting 69.7 percent — a career-low — in the restricted area.

But if you’re looking for a guy to close out possessions, Whiteside was the leader in defensive rebounding percentage last season, topping the NBA at 35.6 percent (as well as in total rebounding percentage at 25.9).

After the Heat were 5.0 points better per 100 possessions without Whiteside in 2017-18, that number recovered significantly last season, with Miami 2.6 points better per 100 with him.

Portland signed a veteran backup to hold down the second unit, securing Pau Gasol, and they also have Skal Labissiere.

As for Nurkic, general manager Neil Olshey told NBA TV in July (per Rotoworld) that the big Bosnian could be out until February.

So it’s Whiteside’s job for now.