NBA Miami Heat

Miami Heat Rumors: Hassan Whiteside Signing Littered With Questions

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By @blackirishpr

Miami Heat, Iowa Energy

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It has been reported that the Miami Heat would sign 7-foot center Hassan Whiteside prior to their loss of Chris Andersen to an ankle injury against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night. Then the morning after the Birdman was grounded, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel confirmed the team’s interest in calling up the D-League shot-blocker from the Iowa Energy. But many questions come with the possible deal.

For one, is bringing Whiteside on a symbol of something positive or negative about the roster?

On one hand the addition of a former collegiate and Chinese league Defensive Player of the Year who recently shot 11-for-12 with 16 rebounds and four blocked shots against the Heat’s minor league affiliate could be a steal for a team that has been thin in the rebounding and rim-protecting department for the better part of four years. If that hasn’t been obvious, just look back at the signings of draft busts like Eddy Curry and Greg Oden. 

On the other hand, the reality of the situation is that for as gaudy as Whiteside’s stats were, it was only one game against Miami’s undersized prospect Khem Birch, who himself had 19 points and 11 rebounds.

It also happened in a league for players who have to fight just to make the backside of an NBA roster, a place that the 7-footer has been for the majority of his career since being picked in the second round by the Sacramento Kings in 2010. And that is not taking into account that he has unsuccessfully worked out for the Heat in the past and was cut by the Memphis Grizzles as recently as one game into this season. But who knows, maybe he could end up being a gem in the dirt like Andersen was almost 13 years ago to this date.

Figuring out if that’s the case comes with another problem, though.

The Heat are currently at their roster’s 15-man limit, meaning that someone on the roster will eventually have to get their South Beach dreams clipped. So for the three candidates to lose their jobs — Shannon Brown, Andre Dawkins and Justin Hamilton – the rest of the day could be a stressful one while Miami weighs the pros and cons of going all-in on their big-man depth problem.

Richard Nurse is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @blackirishpr or add him to your network on Google.

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