PistonPowered
Fansided

Centers with worse contracts than Detroit Pistons’ Andre Drummond

By Ryan Love

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK- APRIL 5: Andre Drummond #0 of the Detroit Pistons and Steven Adams #12 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reach for the rebound during the game on April 5, 2019 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK- APRIL 5: Andre Drummond #0 of the Detroit Pistons and Steven Adams #12 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reach for the rebound during the game on April 5, 2019 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next

Hassan Whiteside

The Miami Heat invested heavily in an up-and-coming center they brought up in their system who looked to represent the post-LeBron James era of South Beach basketball in 2016.

Hassan Whiteside was coming off a season in which he led the NBA in blocks and earned a spot on the 2015-16 All-Defensive Team.

More from Pistons News

It did not take long for that go downhill.

The Heat gave Whiteside a 4-year, $98.4 million maximum contract to keep him in Miami until 2020.

Whiteside lived up to the contract the following year in terms of numbers — averaging 17 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks per game for the 2016-17 season.

That would be the first and last season Whiteside played and started in over 60 games (77).

Whiteside’s averages dropped and he found his spot in the starting lineup fluctuate with the rise of Bam Adebayo. Occasionally Whiteside would show a flash of greatness, but his inconsistency and the ability of other teams to play him off the floor proved to be his downfall in Miami.

The Heat traded Whiteside to the Portland Trailblazers as a part of the deal that brought Jimmy Butler to Miami.

Whiteside now enters the last season of his contract making $27 million in 2019-20 – the same as Andre Drummond.

Drummond bested Whiteside in several categories last season including points, rebounds, assists, steals, and free throw percentage.

Although Whiteside is officially in the last year of his expensive deal, Drummond’s likelihood to opt-out of his deal next summer makes the Pistons’ big man not only more valuable — but more movable as potential trades become available.

Home/Pistons News