NBA Rumors: Faltering Hassan Whiteside May Best Stay In South Beach

Hassan Whiteside, once one of the feared rim protectors in the NBA, is weighing his options heading into NBA free agency. It appears the 29-year-old plans to use his player-option with the Miami Heat although this move is received with mixed reactions.

Since signing that lucrative four-year $98 million deal with the Heat back in 2016, things have turned out for the worst for the shot-blocking demon. Seeing how he stands to earn $27.1 million with Miami next season, it could be a more rewarding path than checking out other teams.

The thing is, Whiteside is giving the matter a lot of thought. One factor likely to be counted is the fact that he has seen his playing time dwindle the past two months. With lesser time on the floor, other NBA teams are likely to dig deep and figure out how a big man that drew attention some years back is technically being grounded, the Miami Herald reported.

“It’s definitely a decision I got to make and do the best for me. I feel like if I’m playing, I’m going to produce so it will take care of itself,” said the Heat’s highest paid player.

For this season, Whiteside has averaged 12.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 72 games. While those numbers may not be that bad, the fact that his playing time has gone down to only 23.3 minutes has raised some eyebrows. Also, there is no denying that the 7-footer can produce better numbers than that.

Whiteside had his finest year back in 2016. He was the NBA’s leading shot-blocker with 3.7 swats per game to go with 14.2 points and 11.8 rebounds. He improved on that during the 2016-17 NBA season with 17 points and 14.1 rebounds before his production dipped a bit the following years. This is aside from the fact that the 29-year-old has been hounded by immaturity issues that have likewise hurt his stock.

Injuries played a role in the decline of Whiteside although Heat Nation pointed out his lack of adjustment to the evolving game of the NBA. His inability to tweak his game is seen as the reason why he was relegated to a bench role – likely also the reason why he is contemplating on testing the market.

There is no telling which teams would be willing to take in Whiteside as of now. But if ever there is one, he will still have to adjust to that particular team’s system.