Lakers’ free agent target Hassan Whiteside recently commented on his upcoming free agency.
Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside, an unrestricted free agent whom the Lakers plan to “aggressively pursue”, recently spoke to reporters on the status of his free agency.
Whiteside said he wants to know what team he’ll play for next season by July 1st, and also failed to provide any substantial answer when asked if he’d stay in Miami “if all things are equal.”
If those remarks aren’t encouraging enough to Lakers fans who hope to see the big man don the purple and gold next season, Whiteside later stated that he’ll prioritize the best possible situation for him over loyalty.
As reported by Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel:
"“I really don’t think it’s about loyalty,” said Whiteside. “I think it’s just about the best situation for myself and that’s what I think it is.”"
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From a purely fiscal standpoint, it appears as though Whiteside will be seeking the best possible monetary fit rather than take a discount with the Heat simply because they were the first to offer him a chance to play two seasons ago.
When considering that the Heat will reportedly try to convince Whiteside to take less than a max contract, this is good news for the Lakers, who’ll be armed with nearly $70 million in cap space to spend.
Whiteside had another dominant season in 2016, joining an elite group of Hall-of-Fame big men by averaging over 3 blocks per game while registering a PER above 25.
Players who've averaged 3+ BPG and a 25+ PER in a season: Kareem, Ewing, Mourning, Shaq, Robinson, Hassan Whiteside pic.twitter.com/Bufg0s1qCh
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) June 27, 2016
On paper, Whiteside would be a great fit on a young Lakers team that ranked last in the NBA in Defensive Rating last season and that appears to have starters at every position outside of center.
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If the Heat are not able to provide Whiteside with what he wants, expect the Lakers to be contenders to land the big man come the first day of July.