Hassan Whiteside: Latest News, Rumors, Speculation on C's Future

Tim DanielsMay 18, 2016

Hassan Whiteside figures to generate ample interest as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but the Miami Heat are hopeful of keeping their center and defensive linchpin.

Continue for updates.

Heat Desperate To Keep Whiteside This Summer

Wednesday, May 18

According to Ethan J. Skolnick of the Miami Herald, Heat president Pat Riley called Whiteside the team's "No. 1 priority. Period." Riley also stated "he'll be right there at 12:01 for us" when free agency opens on July 1, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The 26-year-old budding star backed up his breakout 2014-15 campaign with an even more impressive season for Miami. He averaged 14.2 points and 11.8 rebounds while leading the NBA in blocks by a significant margin at 3.7 per game.

His immense impact allowed him to finish third in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald pointed out that the center wasn't satisfied with that result, however, stating it merely adds to the chip on his shoulder. "It never left. It'll always be there," Whiteside said. "I got overlooked for All-Star. I got overlooked for this. I get overlooked at lot. I got overlooked for [NBA team] tryouts. I'm used to being overlooked."

The only downside to an otherwise highly productive campaign was an MCL injury that forced him to miss the final four games of the team's playoff exit at the hands of the Toronto Raptors.

He's certainly come a long way since being drafted in the second round by the Sacramento Kings back in 2010. After an unsuccessful two-season stint there, he was forced to travel the globe to play for a couple of years before landing with the Heat and finally showcasing his potential in the NBA.

As usual, the demand for impact frontcourt players figures to significantly outweigh the supply this summer, so he'll be a coveted target. Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders believes the Los Angeles Lakers should go all-out in their efforts to land the defensive stalwart:

Ultimately, the pursuit of Whiteside could become one of the offseason's biggest stories if he doesn't end up recommitting to the Heat right away. Riley's comments make it clear Miami is going to put on the full-court press as quickly as possible in an attempt to lock him down.

Whiteside has started to prove himself as a legitimate game-changing player, though. That means if he wants to explore the market, he should have no trouble receiving serious interest from across the league. The end result will be a monster contract from Miami or elsewhere.