Miami Heat: Is Hassan Whiteside Really the Future?

One of the more interesting subplots to Dwyane Wade‘s free agency situation is that the Miami Heat, in the eyes of some fans, are being forced to choose between the team’s past and its future. Wade, still productive yet no longer in his prime, obviously represents the former. And Hassan Whiteside is expected to help carry the team, both next season and beyond.

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It’s an unfair and unrealistic expectation for Whiteside. In truth, Whiteside’s emergence was one of the lone bright spots for the Heat during the last injury-marred season. In the wake of LeBron James‘ departure to Cleveland, Miami’s fans were looking for positives – anything to help them move past the disappointment. Then, as injuries took their toll and removed any hope for consistency, what had been a season of hope quickly turned to desperation.

Whiteside, the cartoonishly-muscled seven-footer, swooped right in to save the day.

With Wade, Josh McRoberts and Chris Bosh losing substantial playing time, Whiteside provided a feel-good story during an otherwise bleak regular season. The latest of many reclamation projects during Miami’s history, it was a welcomed opportunity to see a player triumph over long odds and find success at the game’s highest level.

There were sensational performances that helped sustain the narrative, including a historic triple-double where Whiteside set the franchise record for most blocks in a single game:

And there was the game against the Los Angeles Clippers, where Whiteside dominated DeAndre Jordan, whom some consider to be the best center in the game and a player that represents the ceiling for Whiteside’s development:

But there were disappointing moments as well, like his multiple ejections over the span of a few days, first against the Suns’ Alex Len…

…and then against Boston’s Kelly Olynyk, which seemed particularly unprovoked (although Kevin Love might argue otherwise).

While these are just four instances during the 48 games in which Whiteside played last season, they represent a player who is capable of both dominance and thoughtlessness.

Is this the kind of player that Miami should consider a cornerstone for the team’s future?

Quite honestly, no one knows for certain. He’s said all the right things since his last ejection, making a concerted effort to keep his composure on the floor. When recently asked about Wade’s free agency, his comments – “I just believe in Pat Riley…” – echo what many Heat fans believe wholeheartedly. And he’s been engaged in workouts with the team for weeks, practicing his passing and footwork so he can be a more well-rounded offensive force.

Still, it’s important to consider that Whiteside’s development could have plateaued last season. He could go back to being the often-overlooked player that was at the end of the rotation in both Sacramento and Memphis.

Or he could go on to become an All-Star for years to come.

Heat president Pat Riley wants to maintain salary cap flexibility for the summer of 2016, presumably to re-sign Whiteside and another star player. But Riley also understands that the Whiteside Experiment, as successful as it’s been, could blow up sooner than expected if he bolts next year. It’s why the team would have selected Kentucky’s Willie Cauley-Stein if he’d been available during last Thursday’s draft. It’s why Chris Andersen, the aging “Birdman” who doesn’t fly quite as high, is still on the roster despite rumors that he’s being traded.

Should Whiteside continue to grow as a player – something he’ll need to prove this year – then keeping him as part of Miami’s long-term plan should become a priority. But it’s still too early to tell if he’ll be the centerpiece of the team moving forward and he certainly shouldn’t take precedence over securing Wade.

The team needs a superstar but overlooking the one they’ve already had on the roster for 12 years is just bad for business.

Next: Could Luol Deng Play the Role of Andre Iguodala in Miami?

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