LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 18: Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Portland Trail Blazers slam dunks over LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half in Game 1 of Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 18, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)One of the top centers available this offseason has officially made a decision. Hassan Whiteside will remain in the Western Conference, but he’s no longer a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Last season, Whiteside averaged 15.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game for Portland. He did an excellent job filling in for Jusuf Nurkic, who missed most of the year due to injury.
Instead of returning to Portland for another season, Whiteside has decided to go back to where his NBA career started. According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the talented center has signed a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings.
Sacramento selected Whiteside in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft. It wasn’t until he signed with the Miami Heat in 2014 that he became a household name.
Wojnarowski hasn’t released the exact specifics regarding Whiteside’s contract yet.
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
The Kings recently lost Bogdan Bogdanovic to the Hawks, so the backcourt won’t be that strong this upcoming season. However, the addition of Whiteside should help them on the boards against most opponents.
Whiteside has limitations on both sides of the court, no one will deny that, but he’s been really durable over the past few years.
At the very least, the Kings should get solid minutes out of Whiteside on a nightly basis.
