Boston Celtics Free Agent Target: Hassan Whiteside

Hassan Whiteside has taken the league by storm over the past two seasons, and he’d be a great fit with the Boston Celtics

This position the Boston Celtics are in this upcoming off-season is rare. They hold three first round picks, one being a potential top-five pick, as well as having an abundance of cap room and open roster spots. Therefore, this should be a very busy off-season for the Celtics. Over the next couple of months, I will be going through some of the top free agents the Boston Celtics will be targeting.

The Celtics made it no secret that they were going hard after a big man at the trade deadline. The rumors were constantly swirling about guys like Al Horford or Kevin Love coming to Boston. However, one player the Celtics didn’t go hard after at the trade deadline but should this off-season is Hassan Whiteside.

Whiteside has taken the league by storm over the past two seasons. He went from a no-name to one of the most dominant centers in the league. It’s safe to say that he is very satisfied with his current 2K rating.

Boston is in position to possibly sign two max-contract players, and one of those players could be Hassan Whiteside.

Whiteside would provide Boston with everything they’re missing in their front court this season. At 7’0″, he would give the Celtics a true center. He also shoots a ridiculous 79.3 percent from three feet or closer, which would finally give Boston a go-to guy down low. His athleticism would also work perfectly in pick-and-roll situations with Isaiah Thomas.

Besides his down low ability, Whiteside shoots 60.7 percent from the free-throw line. That’s not a good percentage by any means, but a lot better than guys like Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan, who present similar games to Whiteside. The fact of the matter is teams won’t be able to use a hack-a-Whiteside strategy on the Celtics.

Whiteside is also one of the best defensive big men in the league, and could be the clog in the middle the Celtics have been long searching for. His game mostly revolves around his defensive abilities, which would make him a perfect fit for Boston.

This season Whiteside leads the league averaging 3.9 blocks per game, and owns the best defensive rating at 93. He is also fourth in the league at 11.7 rebounds per game, and his 61.4 field goal percentage is second best in the NBA.

Whiteside would provide Boston with an enforcer down low most importantly. They would finally have someone who would make guards think twice when driving in the lane. To put his blocking ability in perspective, there have only been 21 NBA players in NBA history who have averaged at least 3.9 blocks per game in a season, according to Basketball Reference. There are few big men in the league that have the same presence Whiteside does down low.

The risks are there if they decide to give Whiteside a max deal. He broke onto the scene last season after being non-existent throughout his first couple of seasons in the NBA. Now, he’s going to be looking to cash in on his well-deserved pay-day. The thought of Whiteside struggling in a system where he doesn’t have Chris Bosh down low with him, or Dwayne Wade taking pressure off of him is valid. However, he has proved this season to be a force no matter who is on the court with him.

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He recently posted a 19 point, 19 rebound game without Bosh, and has led the Miami Heat during all of Wade’s injuries. Whiteside’s rise to becoming one of the best centers in the game was more than quick, but it’s real.

Signing Whiteside would give Boston another star alongside Isaiah Thomas, but they would still be in search of one more. While Whiteside is one of the best defensive players in the league and more than capable on offense, he isn’t a player that will push the Celtics past the Cleveland Cavaliers. He would still be worth a max deal because of how many holes he would fill, but he’s not another go-to scorer the Celtics could rely on late in the game.

Next: What Should Boston do with Potential Free Agents?

Whiteside has already expressed he wants to help lead a contender, something Boston is. He would be a perfect fit in Brad Stevens‘ system. His strengths line up perfectly for what the Celtics are in need of. Whiteside is a very realistic target for the Celtics this off-season and would make them a lot closer to a championship.

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