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NBA Trade Rumors: Stars Available for the Knicks to Acquire

By Maxwell Ogden

Nov 24, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0, center) greets guard Thabo Sefolosha (25) and center Al Horford (15) during a timeout in the fourth quarter of their game against the Boston Celtics at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 121-97. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0, center) greets guard Thabo Sefolosha (25) and center Al Horford (15) during a timeout in the fourth quarter of their game against the Boston Celtics at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 121-97. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 5, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) prepares to drive to the basket as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets forward center Frank Kaminsky (44) during the first half of the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) prepares to drive to the basket as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets forward center Frank Kaminsky (44) during the first half of the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat

Position: Center

Age: 26

Remaining Salary: $981,348

Contract Expires: 2016

Slash Line: .617/.000/.552

Season Averages: 28.2 MPG, 12.2 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 3.0 ORPG, 3.9 BPG

Chances are, the New York Knicks will be unable to acquire Miami Heat center and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Hassan Whiteside. Pat Riley is certain to put Whiteside’s asking price in a range that New York, which doesn’t have a first-round draft pick in 2016, cannot afford.

Nevertheless, it must be noted that the Heat are considering a trade centered around Whiteside due to his pending free agency and consistent issues with his temper, per Chris Broussard of ESPN.

"“As you saw from the comments, the players, management—they get frustrated with Whiteside…that frustration, among other things, has them at least gauging what they can get for him on the trade market. If I had to guess, I would say he that will not be traded, but it’s certainly a possibility.”"

If New York can acquire Whiteside, then it should do so if the asking price is within reason.

Whiteside can let his anger get the best of him, but his overly physical game is part of what made the Knicks of the 1990s so special. There’s a raw tenacity about him that can only be described as reminiscent of the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons and Pat Riley Knicks.

The fact that Whiteside is the most dominant shot-blocker since the turn of the century is only icing on the proverbial cake.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, Whiteside is on pace to be the first player to average at least 3.5 blocks per game since Serge Ibaka in 2011-12. Whiteside’s average of 3.9 per contest is the most since Alonzo Mourning posted a matching average in 1998-99—a season during which he played just 46 games during a lockout-shortened season.

Before Mourning, it hadn’t been done since Dikembe Mutombo in 1995-96. When a player is mentioned in that breath, they’re worth pursuing.

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