Dallas Mavericks: A Letter to Hassan Whiteside

After telling the Mavericks to forget Hassan Whiteside in free agency a few weeks ago, my tone has changed and I must address the issue.

Dear Mr. Whiteside,

I know that you have a lot on your plate right now and probably won’t have the time or desire to respond to me, but I wanted to take this opportunity to address the elephant in the room. In case you read my previous post about you, I hope you can see that I have changed my tone.

Firstly, yes, I did voice my opinion that the Dallas Mavericks should not even pursue you in free agency. That was my stance at the time and I feel like I had pretty good reason to say what I did.

My main point during the article was the issue of why a young star like you that could absorb the spotlight would want to end up in a place like Dallas. Now that we actually have your attention, let me tell you, Why Dallas.

Dallas is a great city with lots of diversity, an amazing fanbase, and an opportunity to gain more. We have places to eat that are better than you have ever dreamed and we have friendly, genuine people who will treat you with respect.

Aside from all that, we have a great basketball tradition established with the Mavs. One of the best coaches in the NBA is combined with the most enthusiastic owner who has been known to spoil the guys he enjoys having here.

Coach Carlisle demands respect from his players, but when he is given that respect, he returns it with trust and opportunity. Y’all would do just fine together.

Mr. Whiteside, you have an opportunity to be the player that Dallas Mavericks fans have always dreamed of. Having almost no history of a true rim protector and above-the-rim threat for the franchise, you could show the Mavs fans just what we have been missing all these years.

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Beyond that, it is time that you recognize that you are a player with pull. In the NBA, stars follow other stars to make great teams. You are a star and there are other stars who are considering Dallas and would probably jump onboard if you commit.

This is a chance to build a great team that can truthfully contend for a title.

Lastly, I want to address the issue of me fearing maturity issues on your end. I want to apologize for that comment and recognize that you have had a tough journey through the league in route to becoming the player you are today.

This can give you a sense of pride, not over the top, but that you took a route that most players are unable to and are now in line to receive a monster paycheck.

However, if you are concerned about becoming a true professional and working well with the coaches and owners that you may encounter in your career, you couldn’t find better mentor than Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk is the epitome of a true professional and has helped many along their path to becoming great players on and off the court.

In conclusion, Mr. Whiteside, come to Dallas. We will treat you right and will be thankful everyday that you are here as we push towards a great playoff run this season.

Next: Is the Kevin Durant Situation Helping the Mavericks?

Free agency is upon us and anything can happen. Rumors, questions, roster concerns, and salary cap issues will all be making their case over the next week and we will be addressing each of them here at The Smoking Cuban.