The 2018 NBA Manifesto
Isaiah Whitehead
PG/SG - 6’4, 213lbs - 23 years old - 2 years of experience
In 2016/17, due to circumstances, Whitehead played a hell of a lot of big league minutes (1,643), many of which were spent as a fill-in point guard. In 2017/18, he played few NBA minutes (180), instead spending the majority of the season in the G-League with the Long Island Nets as a shooting guard. And he seems much the better for the latter.
Let off the leash with Long Island, Whitehead averaged 22.3 points in only 28.3 minutes per game. There were some high turnover numbers along the way – there always are. That is part of the Whitehead experience. Yet if those turnovers are borne out of a relentless scoring aggression from a natural scorer rather than the timid and/or awkward flailings of a man still trying to learn the point guard position that he has never quite taken to, they are much more digestible.
The off-ball version of Whitehead is a versatile scorer, a driver and slasher and a shooter all in one, and a player who looks as though he can score at any level. Even this one. Even when slightly undersized, turnover prone, and sometimes lax defensively on the ball, Whitehead is tough, quick, strong and skilled.
It remains to be seen how much separation, if any, he can show from Sean Kilpatrick before him. But even that would do. And if the new Sean Kilpatrick can also take some turns at point guard as well, then even better.
Player Plan: Unguaranteed minimum salary contract, the third year of a four year deal. Considering he is a better player now than he was at the start of the contract, why arsebscuits cut him now?
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PG/SG - 6’4, 213lbs - 23 years old - 2 years of experience
In 2016/17, due to circumstances, Whitehead played a hell of a lot of big league minutes (1,643), many of which were spent as a fill-in point guard. In 2017/18, he played few NBA minutes (180), instead spending the majority of the season in the G-League with the Long Island Nets as a shooting guard. And he seems much the better for the latter.
Let off the leash with Long Island, Whitehead averaged 22.3 points in only 28.3 minutes per game. There were some high turnover numbers along the way – there always are. That is part of the Whitehead experience. Yet if those turnovers are borne out of a relentless scoring aggression from a natural scorer rather than the timid and/or awkward flailings of a man still trying to learn the point guard position that he has never quite taken to, they are much more digestible.
The off-ball version of Whitehead is a versatile scorer, a driver and slasher and a shooter all in one, and a player who looks as though he can score at any level. Even this one. Even when slightly undersized, turnover prone, and sometimes lax defensively on the ball, Whitehead is tough, quick, strong and skilled.
It remains to be seen how much separation, if any, he can show from Sean Kilpatrick before him. But even that would do. And if the new Sean Kilpatrick can also take some turns at point guard as well, then even better.
Player Plan: Unguaranteed minimum salary contract, the third year of a four year deal. Considering he is a better player now than he was at the start of the contract, why arsebscuits cut him now?
