Report: Heat's Whiteside exercises $27.1M option for 2019-20

Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside has exercised the $27.1-million player option on his contract for next season, a league source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 2019-20 campaign will be Whiteside's last under contract. He signed a four-year, $98-million deal with the Heat in 2016.

After opening last season as a starter, Whiteside was relegated to the bench following his return from a hip injury in March. But while the center clashed with Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra in the past due to his minutes, he's never demanded a trade, a source told the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman.

Whiteside, 30, averaged 12.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 72 games this past season. A 2010 second-round draft pick by the Sacramento Kings, he didn't break out until joining the Heat in 2014-15.