Los Angeles Lakers: 3 big men besides DeMarcus Cousins to pursue
1. Hassan Whiteside
Hassan Whiteside has been connected to the Los Angeles Lakers for a reason
This same Los Angeles Times report that stated the Los Angeles Lakers weren’t heading toward a reunion with Boogie also stated the team was looking at maybe another big man like Hassan Whiteside on the buyout market instead.
The report made a ton of sense because Cousins does have more of an offensive game than Whiteside, but Whiteside does more on the stat sheet that the Lakers need right now. Whiteside has been an elite rim protector in the NBA for quite some time and played decent when the Lakers faced the Trailblazers in the playoffs last season.
On the other hand, this year Whiteside has struggled to make much of an impact on the Sacramento Kings, the team that drafted him, only averaging 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds a game. But he is only averaging 14.6 minutes per game and he is still getting over a block per game, and that is a testament to his skill a shot-blocker still being there.
Whiteside has started 32 less games and averages over six less minutes a game than Gasol, and he still ranks ahead of him on a block per game basis, and he is the only guy on this list that can make that claim. Clearly, the addition of Whiteside would bolster the Lakers’ interior defense and give them an anchor similar to what they had in Howard and McGee last season.
He might be a little past his prime at 31 years of age, but like Drummond he has never really has gotten to play on a contender in his 8 years in the league and that might give him some added motivation to win a ring.
There are bigger names and better offensive options on the market like Cousins, Drummond, or even a Blake Griffin, so fans might question this move.
Next. Comparing Hassan Whiteside and DeMarcus Cousins. dark
However, Whiteside’s defense and rebounding are more than enough to make up for his limitations on offense and makes a great case for him to take the open roster spot. As recently as the 2020 regular season, Whiteside lead the entire NBA in blocked shots and that is an attribute that could instantly help the Lakers struggles now and down the line in the playoffs.