Two All-Star level players the Cavs should consider targeting

Miami Heat

C Hassan Whiteside, 28-years-old

7-foot-0, 265 pounds

Best season (out of 6): 2016-2017 (17.0 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. 55.7 percent shooting from the field and 62.8 percent from the free-throw line)

While the possibility that the Cleveland Cavaliers could trade for Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan has drawn all eyes towards him, there could be another stellar rim-protector available. Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside.

The emergence of rookie Bam Adebayo, the 14th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, has likely made Whiteside an expendable asset. Especially when center Kelly Olynyk, a unique big man that provides a scorer’s skillset to the position, is exceeding expectations as well.

While both excel as finishers in the pick-and-roll and in defending the paint, Adebayo has shown the type of consistent effort, decision-making and fluidity as a perimeter and pick-and-roll defender that Whiteside hasn’t.

However, both are solid two-way players.

Nonetheless, there’s a shift going on in Miami that’s hard to ignore even though across most metrics, Whiteside is the more productive player. Adebayo is taking Whiteside’s place.

Here are each center’s numbers for the 2017-2018 season:

Adebayo is averaging 6.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 blocks and 0.6 steals in 19.5 minutes per game while shooting 58.1 percent from the field. He’s averaging 12.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals per 36 minutes with an offensive rating of 122 and defensive rating of 105.

Olynyk is averaging 10.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks in 23.8 minutes per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three-point range. He’s averaging 15.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per 36 minutes with an offensive rating of 108 and a defensive rating of 105.

Whiteside is averaging 13.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks in 25.7 minutes per game while shooting 54.2 percent from the field. He’s averaging 19.5 points, 16.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.2 blocks per 36 minutes with an offensive rating of 113 and a defensive rating of 99.

Over the last few seasons, Whiteside has been the player grabbing headlines after his own unexpected rise towards stardom. After his first two NBA seasons didn’t result in Whiteside receiving significant playing time, the athletic 7-footer with an 8-foot wingspan spent two years being the most dominant big man in the NBA G-League (formerly the NBA Development League). The way he excelled against the competition resulted in him getting signed by the Miami Heat in 2014. Once receiving that chance, Whiteside never looked back.

He’s averaged 14.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 2.7 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game while shooting 58.2 percent from the field with the Heat. In addition, he’s had an offensive rating of 115 and a defensive rating of 97.

Those are stellar numbers for any player and when factoring in Whiteside improving his free-throw percentage from 50.0 to 70.6 from 2014 to this season and his ability to step away from the basket to hit shots, he’s certainly one of the more dynamic and harder working players in the league.

However, sometimes players and teams just don’t fit anymore. If the Cavs want to start a traditional center who can step away from the basket, waiting for DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol and Anthony Davis is a fantasy but Whiteside could be a reality.

The Heat would possibly accept a trade for the Cavs’ first-round pick and Tristan Thompson. Thompson earns $7 million less than Whiteside and plays with the type of grit and toughness that fits perfectly within the Heat’s culture.

Whiteside has an additional year on his contract compared to Jordan, a stellar rim-protector the Cavs have been linked to. Ultimately, Whiteside (who is also one year younger than Jordan), has a better chance to stick with the team long-term. That, in addition to Whiteside’s scoring ability when stepping away from the basket, would make him a better fit for the Cavs.

Starting in place of Jae Crowder would put Love back at the power forward spot and allow players to defend more aggressively on the perimeter because they know there’s a shot-blocker around to clean up their mistakes. If Whiteside buys into the Cavs’ need for him to step out on the perimeter when defending the pick-and-roll and consistently box out (he’d be hard-pressed not to with the pressure of playing on a championship-contender headed by the best player in the league), the Cavs will have the best version of Whiteside that they can.

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*Unless otherwise referenced, stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com