When the Portland Trail Blazers traded for Hassan Whiteside this summer, he was seen as a ready-made replacement for injured starter Jusuf Nurkic. Hassan Whiteside is not Jusuf Nurkic. The sooner the Blazers recognize that, the sooner Whiteside can escape league-wide criticism and play the brand of basketball he’s capable of playing.
Nurkic spoiled Portland with the development of his passing and finishing around the rim last year. He and Damian Lillard’s pick and rolls melted opposing defenses.
The Blazers went out and traded for Whiteside to fill that role because pick and rolls are Lillard’s bread and butter.