New York Knicks: Best Free Agent Fits At Center

1. Hassan Whiteside, UFA

2015-16 Team: Miami Heat
Age: 26
Slash Line: .606/.000/.650
Season Averages: 29.1 MPG, 14.2 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 3.3 ORPG, 3.7 BPG

In one man’s humble opinion, Robin Lopez is the perfect player to place at center alongside Kristaps Porzingis. He’s a selfless player who boxes out to thus enable his teammates to grab rebounds, all the while protecting the rim and providing a solid presence with his back to the basket.

Call me overly optimistic, if you must, but I simply cannot overlook the fact that Hassan Whiteside has every tool to be Phil Jackson’s next elite big man.

Whiteside stands at a monstrous 7’0″ and 265 pounds with a massive 7’7″ wingspan. He’s the most dominant shot-blocker since the turn of the century, is a force on the offensive glass, and is underrated as a scorer.

Projecting Whiteside to be a player of Shaquille O’Neal‘s caliber would be an obscene gesture, but he could provide a similar impact to Andrew Bynum with the Los Angele Lakers of the late 2000s.

Whiteside very quietly shot 41.2 percent on his midrange jump shots, and has the overwhelming physical build to throw down over any defender. He isn’t quite as skilled in the post as Bynum was, but that can be taught and developed in a system like the Triangle Offense.

When all else fails, Whiteside’s defensive ability prevails with the highest blocks per game average since Serge Ibaka in 2011-12 and Alonzo Mourning in 1999-2000.

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Lopez is unfairly underrated, but if the Knicks can execute a sign-and-trade revolving around Lopez and Whiteside, it could launch the team directly back into the playoffs.