Hassan Whiteside Agrees to Reported Four-Year Contract with Heat

In the span of two years, Hassan Whiteside went from relative unknown to one of the most prized assets on the free-agent market. Despite interest from the Dallas Mavericks, he has confirmed a new deal with the Miami Heat, reported to be a four-year max contract by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.

Continue for updates.

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Whiteside Reveals Heat Deal

Friday, July 1

The player revealed his decision on Snapchat, per Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald:

Whiteside reportedly left his meeting with the Miami Heat without agreeing to a new contract, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of the same outlet noted "Miami swung back momentum with Hassan" and "regained footing with Dallas."

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Mavericks Reportedly Topped Heat on Whiteside's List

Thursday, June 30

Wojnarowski, citing sources, reported Dallas was "emerging as a frontrunner" for Whiteside, and the Heat "lost ground on him."

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Latest on Whiteside's Meetings

Thursday, June 30

Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reported Whiteside will have meetings with the Heat, Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers in New York. Kennedy added the Los Angeles Lakers will not get a meeting with the center.

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Lakers Targeting Whiteside

Tuesday, June 28

Chris Broussard of ESPN reported Whiteside is among the players the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in.

On June 25, ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne, citing sources, reported: "The Lakers plan to aggressively pursue Miami's Hassan Whiteside in free agency."

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Whiteside Comments on Free Agency

Sunday, June 26

Whiteside spoke to reporters, and when asked if he would return to the Heat if all factors were equal, he replied "We'll see." Whiteside added that no state tax in Florida "is a factor," according to Skolnick but noted "you can get traded."

The center also said he wants to resolve his future on July 1 when free agency opens and hopes  it's an "easy decision." Whiteside refused to say what factor would weigh most heavily during the process, comparing it to choosing a wife. "Got to have everything," Whiteside said.

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Warriors Interested in Whiteside

Friday, June 24

Marcus Thompson of the Mercury News reported the Golden State Warriors will be looking at Whiteside in free agency.

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Whiteside Has Developed into One of NBA's Most Intimidating Defenders

Whiteside put to bed any idea that he was a one-season wonder when he averaged 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and an NBA-best 3.7 blocks per contest in 73 games for the Heat in 2015-16. According to Basketball-Reference.com, he's the first player to average at least 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks since Shaquille O'Neal in 1999-2000.

In April, The Vertical's Bobby Marks wrote that the structure around the Heat helped Whiteside not only grow as a player, but also forced him to eliminate some of the bad habits he developed when he entered the league with the Sacramento Kings in 2010.

Marks then questioned whether leaving the Heat would jeopardize that progress and result in Whiteside falling back into old ways. With this in mind, the player looks set to dominate now his new deal is agreed.