Hassan Whiteside – Sacramento Kings
The Phoenix Suns are a great defensive team and currently rank 3rd in the league in blocked shots per game, which is why Hassan Whiteside could be a great veteran addition next to DeAndre Ayton in the frontcourt. Now in his 9th season, Whiteside currently finds himself with the Sacramento Kings, but may not be there too much longer.
There have been lots of rumors recently that the Kings could end up being big “sellers” at the trade deadline and look to move any player on their roster that holds a lot of value. They may not get a big return for Hassan Whiteside, but he is definitely a player that numerous playoff contending teams could look to target for big man depth, the Phoenix Suns included.
Last year, the veteran center led the league in blocks (2.9 BPG) and this year, in about 14 minutes per game, he is averaging 1.3 blocks per game. He is still an elite-level rim-protector and in Phoenix, he could continue to be a great defensive center off-the-bench.
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If something was to happen to DeAndre Ayton and he was forced to miss time this season, the Suns do not really have the immediate depth to make up for the void he would leave behind. Frank Kaminsky has been solid in his role this season but they do not have another strong, reliable center, which is why adding Hassan Whiteside as “insurance” could make a lot of sense.
With Whiteside only being owed $2.3M this season, the Suns could easily put together a trade to acquire him without any financial restrictions. If Phoenix is looking to upgrade their frontcourt depth, then they should start by reaching out to the Kings about Hassan Whiteside.
