Should the Miami Heat sacrifice Hassan Whiteside for the greater good?
What do fans get when they combine controversies with championship comebacks, two trophies and a title series breakdown that all but defined the start of LeBron James’ Miami Heat career?
A brief history of the Heat versus the Dallas Mavericks over the last 12 years. And 2018 could add a little more to the equation.
For all intents and purposes, Hassan Whiteside was recently shown a heap of love after going through a summer worth of trade calls. However, if an opportunity calls, Miami should not hesitate to move on from their center.
Fortunately, by the looks of things, a chance could be brewing if plans go left in Dallas.
While it has been reported that the Mavericks have their eyes on DeMarcus Cousins and Clint Capela, all signs point towards Dallas finding a way to unite with DeAndre Jordan. The NBA world knows how that can go though. Past experience proves that no deals are truly aligned until everyone signs on the dotted lines.
With that in mind, if negotiations fall through with Cousins, Capela and Jordan, Dallas should still be in the market for a big man.
This is where the Heat and Whiteside come into play.
If the Mavericks are revisiting old pursuits, why not target a player who they coveted two summers ago?
For Dallas, the incentive is simple: they can get a big man who averages 14.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game, and can finish pick-and-roll lobs from Dennis Smith Jr. and Luca Doncic.
Not to mention his two remaining years come at a cheaper cost then a four-year deal for a free agent. On the Miami side, the 7-footer wore out his welcome with head coach Erik Spoelstra and a trade grants the team cap relief.
How? Cap expert Albert Nahmad throws out an idea:
If Mavs are targeting a center, and DeAndre Jordan/DeMarcus Cousins/etc. don’t work out, I know a team that has one… and might be willing to take back Wes Matthews’ $18.6M expiring, which’d make it as close to cap room neutral as possible for a team looking to make a splash. 😀
— Albert Nahmad (@AlbertNahmad) June 27, 2018
Some would look at bringing Wes Matthews into the fold as doing nothing more than continuing to flood a crowded backcourt.
But it would kill a few birds with one stone.
Matthews’ expiring $18.6 million contract would start the process of freeing up money for the 2019 offseason. It would also give Miami a shooter to fill the space likely left by losing Wayne Ellington. Call it dodging the luxury tax while replacing Ellington’s 39 percent 3-point shooting season with a career 38 percent 3-point shooter.
Next: Miami Heat: Was re-signing Dion Waiters a mistake?
Such a perspective may not do it for fans looking for superstar moves. Yet, sacrifice looks like the only way for the Heat to compete for marquee names in the near future.