Another year, another replacement big man to eat up minutes while Jusuf Nurkic recovers. Did the Portland Trail Blazers improve or regress in that regard?
To offset the hole in the lineup caused by Jusuf Nurkic’s devastating leg injury last season, the Portland Trail Blazers called upon Enes Kanter to contribute in his absence and help push the team through the playoffs.
This time around, Hassan Whiteside will be the man for the job. Although the disgruntled former All-Defensive Team member didn’t live up to his enormous contract in Miami, he is still undeniably talented.
The pair of players have both repeatedly demonstrated their value in critical situations, which begs the question… who is better?
In 23 games with the Blazers last season, Kanter averaged an impressive 13.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while coming off the bench for the majority of games and only seeing the court for 22.3 minutes per game. Although he’s known for not contributing much on the defensive end, Kanter has a 1.9 Box Plus/Minus over the last two years, indicating he puts up more than he gives up.
In the playoffs, Kanter stepped his game up to average just shy of a double-double with 11.4 points and 9.7 rebounds (3.3 of which were offensive). By creating extra possessions for his teammates, the Blazers were always in position to win — even when down 17 points in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals.
Whiteside on the other hand was not as fortunate to see the playoffs last season. Regardless, he still proved he has got enough talent to be a difference maker when utilized properly. In 23.3 minutes per game, Whiteside averaged 12.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. While they are good numbers, battling Bam Adebayo for play time last year clearly disrupted his rhythm on the court.
More will be expected of Whiteside next season as he’s set to make $27 million and consume 18.6 percent of the Portland Trail Blazers’ cap space. Though playing next to a better supporting cast and being happier should make a big difference in his performance. Pau Gasol surely won’t be chomping at the bit to steal his minutes.
Of 70 eligible centers in the NBA last year, Whiteside ranked No. 18 in RPM and was responsible for 4.89 wins. Kanter ranked No. 58 and was responsible for 0.97 wins. Whiteside also achieved a 23.5 PER and 1.2 Value over Replacement Player (VoRP). Kanter on the other hand tallied a 22.3 PER and 0.6 VoRP.
Keep in mind this was considered a down year for Whiteside, and is set only to improve in a better environment. Kanter is an unknown who may only regress from Portland. Whiteside has proven to have a higher ceiling, indicated by his titles for rebounds and blocks as well as an All-Defensive Team nomination.
Hassan Whiteside is the better player, and the Portland Trail Blazers will be better for it. You can bet on it.