There might not be a more dominating center in the NBA when it comes to blocking shots than Hassan Whiteside of the Miami Heat.
So why have there been so many trade rumors involving the big man? Perhaps it’s because the Miami Heat are better without Hassan Whiteside?
It might sound silly on the surface, but it’s a question posed by the New Miami Times.
In 461 minutes with Chris Bosh at C and Winslow on the floor, the Heat have an 80.2 DefReb%. That mark would be tied for No. 1 in the NBA.
— Couper Moorhead (@CoupNBA) January 28, 2016
Advance stats continue to tell a story that ends with the Heat simply being a better basketball team when Whiteside isn’t on the court. All season long, the numbers have shown the Heat has a drastically better defense withoutits shot-blocking seven-footer standing in the paint. It’s no longer too small of a sample size — the Heat is a better defensive team without Whiteside on the court. As it stands, the Heat has a defensive rating of 102.0 with Whiteside on the court and a 96.5 rating with him off the court. The defensive numbers — no matter how hard your eye-test tries to make you disagree — continue to suggest the Heat is a better defensive team when Whiteside doesn’t play.
Whiteside emerged as a ‘mild’ star after playing his way out of the NBA, so you have to wonder – does Hassan Whiteside make the Miami Heat a better team? Or is he just stat stuffing?
