Been lurking for a good while. Finally decided to join the fun!
About Whiteside. Dunno if y'all fully appreciate how astonishing the guy's numbers are.
In 30 mpg last year he was:
- #1 in the league in offensive boards
- #3 in defensive boards
- #2 in total boards
- #1 in blocks
- #4 in FG%
And he did it while averaging 15.5 ppg and shooting 69% from the line. So he wasn't an ignore-him/hack-a-liability in crunch time. His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) last year was 25; for his career it's 24.3 - same as.... Tim Duncan. I'm serious. OTOH, he's no Tim Duncan. OTOH, not many guys in the league have the talent/skills to put up *empty stats* like those.
To get a guy like that for the NBA equivalent of nothing - when he's not coming off an injury and IS coming off a max contract - is remarkable. The #1 reason, far as we know, is that Whiteside is seen as both unmotivated and undisciplined. He knows this.
Well, he should be about as motivated as he can possibly be right about now. He's a throwback 5 at a time when throwback 5s have never been less valued. He's on a 1-year, minimum contract with a mediocre team. At 31, he's playing for his last big contract.
He has
every incentive to ball-out and have his head right, to prove himself to possible suitors, including the Kings. I love the pickup.