The Miami Heat are finding ways to win despite the absence of Chris Bosh. While the forward deals with blood clot issues, others are stepping up in his place and keeping the Heat in playoff contention. Hassan Whiteside has been the focus, as the center continues to increase his value heading into free agency. He says that Miami still has a chance to retain him this offseason.
Whiteside picked the right time to thrive. The center has been excelling with Bosh off the court to the tune of 18.5 points per game. That will have the attention of a lot of teams as Whiteside prepares for his contract to expire. Whiteside is proving his worth to the Heat and value to the rest of the league, and while plenty of teams will come falling in free agency, he wants to stay with a winner.
"That'd be nice," Whiteside said. "I feel like a lot of people want to be that. But I want to win more than anything. I don't really want to be the face of a losing franchise. You want to be a face of a winning program. And it's always easier to get people to come to Miami."
Teams like the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are expected to show interest in Whiteside. Those teams might be able to offer more money than the Heat can. Whiteside is expected to command a max contract. Miami will be hard pressed to meet those demands as they also need to re-sign Dwyane Wade while looking into getting a superstar as well. There might not be room for a max deal for Whiteside regardless of how well he is playing right now.
Wade knows how valuable Whiteside has been since the All-Star break. The Heat are poised for the playoffs, and much of that is because Whiteside has been improving his versatility. Whiteside has also been working on being more engaged with the team. He has faced his share of criticism in that regard, but point guard Goran Dragic says the center is a different person right now.
"It's not only about listening, it's about talking - to give information out and receive information," Dragic said. "He's listening to the players and coaches and he's doing his thing. It's the most relaxed I've seen him. He's just happy. He's found that last step he needs in his game."
All of this will pay off in the summer. Whiteside could get extended by the Heat should Bosh not come back. The forward tweeted on Saturday that he is feeling good, but there is still no update on his condition and potential return to the court. There is plenty of concern that Bosh's career could be in trouble because of the health scare. That outcome could change the direction of Miami's offseason.
