NBA Rumors: Whiteside Leaves Heat With Hopes Of Blazing In Portland

Hassan Whiteside, on a good day, would be a hard NBA player to stop. He proved that in recent years with the Miami Heat and this was the reason he was gifted with a fat contract. But after suffering injuries and his inability to recall his old form, frustration mounted and Whiteside got lost. Now, he hopes to get a new lease on life after being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers.

There was a time when multiple NBA teams wanted Whiteside on their side. That all changed last season with most wary of inheriting his expensive contract. With most now questioning if he can still play good NBA ball, it came to no surprise why he opted in with his deal with the Heat. However, it was a given he would be traded at some point to a team willing to take over his final $27.1 million contract. That team was the Portland Trail Blazers who, in return, sent Myers Leonard and Mo Harkless to South Beach, ESPN reported.

After failing to reap dividends on select players rewarded with lucrative deals, a previous report singled out how team president Pat Riley would be making moves to free the team of poor financial investment on talent. Whiteside and Goran Dragic led the list and talks would be done once both opted in the final year of their deals. So far, only Whiteside has been moved with Dragic still on the roster despite initial reports that he was headed to the Dallas Mavericks.

On paper, the Heat seem to have gotten a good deal with two proven players for Whiteside. Head coach Erik Spoelstra will have to find ways to orient both stars into his system and hope that the changes (so far) made on the lineup can turn things around for the 2019-20 NBA season. The Heat missed the playoff bus last season, finishing with a 39-43 loss regular season record.

With regards to Whiteside, he should be aware that playing a good NBA season in the final year of his deal is a must. Last season, the 30-year-old center averaged 12.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 72 games. When sharp, he can fill that big man void and be the rim protector that Blazers head coach Terry Stotts has been missing. Together with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Portland could be a force to reckon with -- that is if Whiteside keeps his head in the game.