2-Time Blocks Leader Listed as Celtics Best Free Agent Option

Getty Hassan Whiteside, Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics chose to stand pat on July 18, as they watched their $17.2 million trade exception expire. Of course, the addition of Malcolm Brogon on July 1 went some way to negating the necessity of using said exception.

Still, the Celtics continue to have a hole in their center rotation and will need to find a viable role player to help shore up that rotation, and with their mammoth trade exception no longer in play, it looks like the team will turn their attention to free agency.

Luckily, there are some impactful veterans on the free agent market that could suit the Celtics’ style of play, including Dwight Howard and DeMarcus Cousins – both talented veterans who would likely sign with the Celtics for a chance to compete for a championship.

However, according to Keith Smith during a recent guest appearance on the Locked On Celtics podcast, there is another free agent big man that would fit Boston’s requirements: Hassan Whiteside.

“I cannot believe that I’m kind of to the point where I’m like ‘is Hassan Whiteside really the worst idea?’ He played really well for Utah, he can defend, he can block shots, you can throw him on the backline defense and say do what Rob does on offense, then block shots and rebound, that’s all we need you to do,” Smith said during the July 19 episode.

Whiteside is currently a free agent after his one-year deal with the Utah Jazz expired at the end of last season. The 10-year veteran could be tempted to join the Celtics on a veteran minimum deal as the primary backup center for a championship contending team.

Does Whiteside Make Sense?

Whiteside is a legitimate seven-foot tall and is known for his rebounding and rim protection. Sure, there have been questions raised about his all-around defensive ability in the past, but overall, he’s a viable drop defender who can give you solid backup minutes at the center spot.

This past season for the Jazz, Whiteside averaged 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game, in his 65 regular-season appearances, starting just eight of those contests. As such, it’s fair to assume the veteran big man will be perfectly capable of fulfilling a similar role for the Celtics, especially since he’s coming off of a season where he was a team’s secondary big man, behind Rudy Gobert.

Of course, Boston may decide to just move ahead with their current rotation, and put their trust in Luke Kornet and Danilo Gallinari to fill the void left by Daniel Theis, who is now with the Indiana Pacers, courtesy of the Malcolm Brogdon trade.

Brad Stevens Has Faith in Kornet

Despite admitting that Boston would like to add another big man, Brad Stevens spoke highly of Kornet during a July 12 press conference, noting how he believes the seven-foot-two center could be an impactful member of the rotation.

“We’re really high on Luke. We’ve been really high on Luke. We thought he had a terrific G-League season, and think that he can step right in and be a passer, a ball-handler, a mover, a screener, and a roller when need be. We’ll probably add one more person that can play in that area, but we’re really believing in Luke as not only depth that can help fill out the roster, but also be ready to help us, and help us win. I think he’s at that stage where he can help us do that,” Brad Stevens said during a July 12 press conference, where he introduced Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari.