Hassan Whiteside will be signing a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings. Adrian Wojnarowski reported the deal on Twitter.
Free agent center Hassan Whiteside has agreed to a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 25, 2020
Whiteside has most recently played with the Portland Trailblazers where he averaged 15.5 points per game, 2.9 blocks per game and 13.5 rebounds per game. The center was averaging 30 minutes per game with the Trailblazers. Whiteside’s stats indicate that he is playing some of his best basketball to date. Even though Whiteside is seven feet tall, he shows his endurance for a big man by playing 30 minutes per game in his 10th season.
The Sacramento Kings actually drafted Whiteside in 2010 and he played for the team for two seasons. After two years with the Kings, Whiteside went overseas to Lebanon and China to play in overseas leagues. Upon his return in 2014, Whiteside played with the Miami Heat until last season. When he came back from overseas, Whiteside blossomed into a very active and effective center for the Miami Heat.
Now Whiteside is going back to where it all started, with the Kings. The Kings are a guard heavy team. With Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox, the Kings have guards that can perform. Hield signed a four-year deal with the Kings last season, so he has another three years to build off of. Similarly, Fox just signed a five-year extension that will keep him at the Kings.
Another issue for the Kings is that towards the end of their season last year, Marvin Bagley III, who is the Kings’ big man, suffered another injury. The foot injury happened in the Bubble and it seems as though Bagley’s career has been muddled with injuries. With the next NBA season right around the corner, the health of Bagley is unknown. Along with some height, Whiteside can provide experience for the team and rim protection as well as making sure that the Kings have a center that can help Bagley as he returns to play.
All statistics taken from basketball-reference.com.
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