MIAMI (AP) — Hassan Whiteside is not leaving the final year of his Miami Heat deal on the table.
A person with knowledge of the situation said Friday that Whiteside is exercising his $27.1 million option for next season in Miami. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the Heat nor Whiteside announced the decision publicly.
The decision was expected. This will be the last year of Whiteside’s four-year, $98 million contract with Miami, and his salary for the next season will maintain his position as the highest-paid player on the Heat’s roster.
Last season, Whiteside averaged 12.3 points and led the team with 11.3 rebounds per game. He played in 72 games, starting in 53 of them. Despite only averaging 23 minutes per game, he occasionally expressed dissatisfaction over not having a more significant role.
“Like everyone else this year, he’s going to attend training camp and earn it,” stated Heat President Pat Riley on Friday, a few hours before the option was activated.
Throughout his career, Whiteside has maintained an average of 13.4 points and 11.4 rebounds over seven seasons, playing for Miami and Sacramento. He topped the NBA in blocks per game during the 2015-16 season and subsequently led in rebounds per game in the next season.
He ranks third in all-time blocks for Miami, trailing Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, and is fifth in the team’s all-time rebound list, behind Udonis Haslem, Mourning, Rony Seikaly and Wade.
