What’s next?
If Whiteside doesn’t call out Spoelstra, would he have been as receptive to Whiteside’s concerns behind closed doors? Fans have already seen Spoelstra flake on at least one initiative this season, namely, pairing rookie Bam Adebayo with Whiteside in the rotation.
From a managerial standpoint, Miami wants Whiteside to keep his mouth shut. Chastising the organization hurts his trade value and tarnishes the respect the Heat have earned among potential free agents.
At the end of the day however, all Heat Nation wants, from the owners to the fans, is passionate Heat basketball. Luckily, Miami has the chance to regroup against the Atlanta Hawks, one of league’s worst teams.
Should Spoelstra try and run Whiteside 30-plus minutes to see how he fares? It wouldn’t hurt. The Hawks are in the market for a few more losses, and Miami would have to outright skip the game to give Atlanta a fair shot at victory.
Sitting Whiteside however isn’t the answer. For better or worse, Whiteside is on Miami, and playoff matches with the Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors will need his presence.
Aron Baynes and Marcus Morris can outmuscle much of Miami’s frontline in Boston, and Jonas Valanciunas’ tank-like structure would give Bam Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk trouble in Toronto.
Until Miami has a winning formula without him, benching Whiteside and losing games is a defeatist strategy just before the playoffs.
Next: Turning up the Heat: Is Miami’s Whiteside in or out?
The Heat have come too far in their journey over the past two years, to squander a successful postseason run just because of a disagreement. Regardless of which side fans are on, everyone wants the team’s efforts to keep being recognized, both now and during the playoffs.