The NBA trade rumors have erupted as another franchise center may be on the block.
Hassan Whiteside is now on the board as well since no less than Zach Lowe of ESPN has been quoted on this. At the end of his podcast, he mentioned (h/t 24/7 Sports) that the entire Miami Heat roster is up for grabs.
"Up and down the roster, literally every player," said Lowe towards the end of his latest podcast. "Literally no one is untouchable, not even Hassan Whiteside, by a long shot."
Whiteside will be a target of teams searching for defensive centers. The Boston Celtics is the usual suspect, but teams like the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets are likely in the running.
The Nuggets have been using Nikola Jokic as their starting center but Whiteside can complement him on the defensive end. The Nuggets have been named as one of the prime candidates to trade for DeMarcus Cousins, but recent reports indicate that the disgruntled center may sign an extension and buck the losses for the money.
There is also another center in the market, Brook Lopez of the Brooklyn Nets. However, the rumors state that the Nets are asking for two first round picks for their prized center who has had on and off injuries in the past few seasons.
Marc Stein of ESPN stated the asking price for Lopez: "Word is that two first-round picks is the Nets' current asking price for center Brook Lopez," Stein stated in his blog.
The Denver Nuggets have their own pick and a first round pick from the Memphis Grizzlies next year. The Boston Celtics have the Brooklyn Nets pick swap, but the Portland Trailblazers, another team aspiring for a center, only has a pick from Cleveland because they have traded their 2016 draft pick and are not eligible to trade their pick this year because of the Stepien Rule.
Portland does have young players like Allen Crabbe, Mo Harkless and Meyers Leonard that they can offer to a team like Miami or Brooklyn. The Blazers may pull the rug from the Celtics and Nuggets with these assets.