All teams are polishing their line-ups. Third string players continue to prove their worth in preseason games and fight for final spots on different team rosters. But trade rumors are still as hot as it was before.
In this article, let's talk about the trade rumors involving big time players DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside.
According to HNGN, a trade might happen that will send DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay to the Miami Heat for Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic. Let's take a closer look at this trade possibility.
DeMarcus Cousins is a very gifted basketball player. In his 6 years in the NBA, he averages 20.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks in 415 NBA games. Just last season with the Kings, he averaged career-highs in points (26.9ppg), steals (1.6spg) and minutes (34.6mpg) a game, per Wikipedia.
He was also a two-time All-Star and part of the Team USA during the 2016 Rio Olympics in which they won a gold medal. But as talented as Cousins is, he never experience playing in the NBA Playoffs. At 26 years of age, he is clearly at the top of his game.
If he will come to Miami Heat, he might contend for Playoff series. Because playoffs is what makes a player reach the next level. Rudy Gay will give the Heat a veteran role just like Dwyane Wade's role when he was still in a Heat uniform.
Hassan Whiteside, on the other hand, is now the new face of the Miami Heat franchise. With Dwyane Wade already left to play for the Chicago Bulls and Chris Bosh have health problems, Whiteside is the man for the Heat.
Whiteside re-signed with the Miami Heat on July 7, 2016. He signed a four-year deal worth $98 million, per Wikipedia. He just came from a breakthrough year last season when he averages 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 29.1 minutes in 73 regular season games. He was also a member of the NBA All-Defensive Second Team last season.
The Miami Heat finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference last season. Even with an improved Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat is still a playoff team in the East. If Whiteside will play to the Sacramento Kings, he will not play in the playoffs.
Now that Whiteside is a rising star in the NBA, he needs a lot of playoff battles to mature as an NBA player and become one of the best. If he will play in Kings, he might probably have better stats than in Miami. But he will be in a losing team, which is not good for her blossoming career.
In my own perspective, Cousins should switch teams. But trading him for Whiteside is not a good idea. Why not just join Whiteside in Miami Heat and make the Heat one of the best teams in the NBA?
If they joined forces, they will surely become one of the best frontcourt duos in the NBA. One is an offensive monster and the other is a defensive specialist.
