Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside will officially become an unrestricted free agent five days hence, and he has no shortage of suitors. The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly coming after him full-bore, the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers are also trying to get in on the bidding, and the Heat still want to retain him.
If one thing's certain, it's that after taking a long, winding, rocky road to get to this seminal point in his life, Whiteside is going to savor the feeling of being in demand, being courted, being needed.
"I find it flattering," Whiteside told reporters Sunday, referring to free-agency overtures. "In my past I was trying to call those teams. Now it's the other way around."
To recap: Whiteside was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round in 2010, dealt with injuries and concerns about his attitude, appeared in just 19 games across two seasons with the team, and then fell out of the league.
He kicked around the D-League, and when he struggled there, he went overseas, plying his trade in far-flung places like Sichuan, China and Amchit, Lebanon. He'd return stateside for the summer league, repeatedly trying and failing to crack an opening-day roster. Then finally, about 18 months ago, a banged-up and desperate Heat team took a flier, signing Whiteside to a partially guaranteed two-year deal. He rewarded their faith in a way they scarcely could have imagined.
Now, after a season in which he averaged 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.7 blocks, the 27-year-old is set to cash in. His free agency also comes at the perfect time, with the NBA's salary cap about to jump by an unprecedented $24 million, and a dearth of quality big men on the market. Two-odd years after playing in the Lebanese league, Whiteside could land himself a nine-figure contract.
Whether that will be with the Heat, he isn't yet tipping his hand.
"I really don't think it's about loyalty," he said. "I think it's just about the best situation for myself."
Though he's enjoying his moment in the sun, Whiteside isn't looking to drag this scenario out. Regardless of what he ultimately decides, he wants to have that decision ready on the first day of free agency.
"July 1," he said, "hopefully I'll know."
