5 Bold Predictions For The Miami Heat’s 2016-17 Season

Hassan Whiteside Blocks 300 Shots On The Year

The Heat paid Hassan Whiteside a lot of money this offseason to be a star. They paid him so much that they couldn’t even afford to keep Wade, so they better cross their fingers and hope the abrasive big man can earn every penny of that shiny new contract.

While I’m still hesitant about dubbing Whiteside as a the next offensive star for Miami, I’m extremely confident he’ll emerge as arguably the best defender down low in the NBA–if he isn’t already.

Last year, he led the league in blocks with almost 100 more than the runner up. In 2016-17, he’ll crack the 300-block mark.

If that does happen, he’d be the first player to do so since 2003-04. It’s a rare accomplishment, especially as the NBA as a whole continues to expand its range.

And yet, with the way Whiteside played defense last season, it’s completely feasible to imagine him racking up a ridiculous amount of blocks this year.

The Heat will be expecting a lot from Whiteside this season after essentially designating him as the franchise player. He’ll be handed more responsibility, be expected to manage more minutes and be thrust into a larger leadership role (via the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman).

Whiteside still offers some boom-or-bust potential, but I’d expect a big season from him in 2016-17–at least defensively.

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