Should the Miami Heat stay committed to Hassan Whiteside?

Less than a week remains before the 2018 NBA trade deadline, so should the Miami Heat look to move Hassan Whiteside?

Eight, six, 25, nine and four. What do these numbers have in common?

They are Hassan Whiteside’s point totals over his last five games. And, as the story has gone this season, the 25 points against the Dallas Mavericks is closer to an outlier than it is to the norm.

Despite clamoring among Heat Nation that Whiteside and his recent inconsistency should get the boot, anonymous league insiders are insisting the Miami Heat are far from parting ways with Agent Block.

Why then, should Miami retain Whiteside amidst his highs and lows? As Kendrick Lamar said, it boils down to, “loyalty, loyalty, loyalty.”

Ego Checking

Few words are as synonymous with the Miami Heat than “culture.” Spouted on national and local broadcasts alike, the team that president Pat Riley built, is grounded by the idea that every player to don the jersey, buys into the system as a whole.

Riley has demonstrated time and time again that players don’t make the Heat; the team does. Thus Miami was able to confidently part ways with long time veteran Dwyane Wade, when his asking price was too much in 2016.

Now, with a young group of scrappy go-getters, Riley and the Heat have crafted the ideal organization, one that bleeds sacrifice and togetherness.

Even in the midst of what appears to be a mentality setback with Whiteside, the big man continues to preach Miami’s message. After a January 10 game against the Indiana Pacers, which marked the sixth of a seven-game win streak, Whiteside assured the team’s unity, and the need to keep believing in Miami.

Though it came after a win, that Whiteside is willing to keep a positive face amidst trade rumors and variable offensive effort, is a testament to his growth and ego management. Remember in 2015 when he was concerned with “getting [his] 2K rating up”?

Whiteside’s self-concerned image has all but evaporated in his years spent in Miami. Even after picking up the largest contract of the Heat’s current salaried players, Whiteside has tempered his ego, putting the team first and committing to Miami’s system.

And in return for Whiteside’s loyalty, Miami is sure to reciprocate, giving him a chance to maximize his contributions.

It’s 2018, who wants a center?

If by some cosmic interference Miami decides to move forward with a trade, where does Whiteside go?

Only a handful of players earn an NBA living in the low post like Whiteside; DeAndre Jordan, Andre Drummond, Steven Adams and Clint Capella are among the most successful. Unsurprisingly, all of those players have spent at least the last four years with the same team, a benchmark of the waning role of true centers in the NBA.

For Miami to move Whiteside, they’d likely have to package another asset, like the golden arm of Wayne Ellington or the do-everythingness of Justise Winslow, to get enough in return.

To contrast whoever the returning players would be, they’d have to both surpass Whiteside’s spotty offense while contributing his consistent defensive engagement.

Even with Whiteside’s on-again, off-again scoring, the Heat are seventh in the NBA in defensive rating this season. That ranking jumps to third over the last 15 games, all but one of which have seen minutes from Whiteside.

Of questionable trade value and equally questionable scoring of late, keeping Whiteside for the long haul makes the most sense for Miami. As the old adage goes, “you can’t teach tall,” and Whiteside has plenty of it.

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Regardless of his contributions for the remainder of the season, including Whiteside in Miami’s future, will at least avoid disrupting the Heat’s chemistry, while keeping a seven-foot, defensive menace at the ready.