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Fantasy Basketball: Hassan Whiteside Coming Out of Nowhere

By Robert Moodispaugh

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Of course the week I say Tristan Thompson is the addition of the season, the Cavaliers repay me by trading for Timofey Mozgov. I think Thompson can still have some value, as he’ll play over 20 minutes per game. However, at this point, he’d probably be best as trade bait. But let’s see if there are any other guys out there that can potentially reach Thompson’s initial value.

*All ownership percentages are courtesy of ESPN.com

Hassan Whiteside (Mia PF/C, 17.7% of leagues): Whiteside has had a quiet NBA career. Playing in only 19 games since 2010, he struggled to gain his footing. Previously dwindling in Sacramento and the developmental league in Memphis, Whiteside was acquired by the Heat in mid-November. Even in Miami, Whiteside didn’t contribute much until the beginning of January. In four games in January, he has averaged 14.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.25 blocks per game, while only coming off the bench. Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen have started down low for the Heat in all four games, but Whiteside has outplayed Andersen in production and minutes. Even when LeBron James was in Miami, one of the Heat’s biggest weaknesses was size. That’s why Indiana was tough to beat because having Roy Hibbert at center was a huge advantage. Bosh is a big guy, but I see him as a better player at power forward. With Whiteside’s surprising production, he could be more of a factor at a position that has plagued the Heat for the last few years.

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Jusuf Nurkic (Den C, 22.7% of leagues): I’ll let Dave Fuqua’s article from last week speak for itself. It is still worth noting the presence of J.J. Hickson and the impending return of Javale McGee, both of which could reduce Nurkic’s value.

Gerald Henderson (Cha SG/SF, 10.6% of leagues): At nine games under .500, the Hornets have struggled all year. In fact, without Kemba Walker, they would be competing with Minnesota (5-31) for worst record in the NBA. With injuries to Lance Stephenson and Al Jefferson, the points have become even more scarce. Ranking 23rd in points per game, Charlotte has four players averaging double figures, two of which are less than 11.0 points per game. Henderson (9.8) isn’t one of those, but has taken advantage of the aforementioned injuries. Scoring a season-high 31 points on January 8, Henderson has averaged 15.9 points per game in the last eight games. He is by no means an elite small forward, but he will see his shots. Stephenson (pelvis) still has no timetable for a return, but is still considered “day-to-day.” I know the Hornets have been quite disappointed with Stephenson’s production, and with good reason. A reduction in time could be in his future, but his presence could still diminish Henderson’s value.

Eric Gordon (Nor SG, 19.2% of leagues): Gordon is three games back from an injury that had kept him out since late November. In that time, the Pelicans started Luke Babbitt. Bless his heart, but he is no Eric Gordon. The former Hoosier was having a down year pre-injury. He had yet to eclipse 20 points in a game all season. He topped that total last night in his fourth game back. Now that he’s back, he can do what he does best: shoot threes. Anthony Davis is obviously the focus of this team, but I think the combination of Gordon, Jrue Holiday, and Tyreke Evans can be a great compliment to Davis. Ryan Anderson has averaged 6.5 three-pointers taken this year, which is actually almost double what Gordon averages (3.7). I think they should try and even out that number a bit so that opposing defenses have to prepare for every player on the court for the Pelicans. They have the players to be a threat from every location on the court. It’s their job to accomplish that. Gordon’s return will be good for the Pelicans and his fantasy value.

*Note: Kevin Martin (Min SG) is close to returning from a broken wrist. Before the injury, he had averaged 20.4 points per game.

Guys I would be comfortable dropping or trading: Deron Williams (Bkn PG, 70.6% of leagues); Jeff Green (trade)(Mem SF/PF, 81.0% of leagues); Luol Deng (trade)(Mia SF, 77.5% of leagues); Thaddeus Young (trade)(Min SF/PF, 76.3% of leagues)

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