Miami Heat: Should Hassan Whiteside prioritize his 3-point game?

Should the Miami Heat rely on Whiteside’s new-found range?

Diversity is the spice of life and a key to a long-lasting NBA career.

Nearly every all-timer reinvents himself.

LeBron James improved his jump shot in his 15^th season. Alonzo Mourning transitioned into a championship caliber role player. Carmelo Anthony decided to come off the bench (hopefully).

In the spirit of diversifying one’s assets, Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside has used the summer to improve his range, launching 3’s and practicing his half-court crossovers in a modestly lit school gym.

Whiteside has regularly been on the express train to the 3-point line. Earlier this summer he bemoaned his situation with the Heat, implying that his 3-point stroke wasn’t properly utilized.

"“You don’t know I got this jumper. There’s a difference between you can’t shoot and you’re not allowed [to shoot],” Whiteside claimed on social media."

As sweet a gesture as his commitment to shooting is, Whiteside’s infatuation with improving his touches beyond the arc is indicative of his problematic, me-first attitude that nearly severed his Miami relationship last season.

Centers and forwards in the NBA are shooting 3’s now more than ever.

Conventional basketball tactics have come to focus on teams stretching the floor, with players once resigned to lounging under the hoop, causing mayhem on defensive switches and mismatches.

The Denver Nuggets capitalized on this, running Nikola Jokic in pick-and-rolls such that he became a threat in the set.

Jokic was 12^th in such possessions last season. Thanks to his 7-foot stature, he could flare out after setting the screen and decide to hit a cutter with a dime, or knock down a triple in front of an undersized defender.

Jokic’s success stems from having multiple options away from the rim. His wandering eye leads to clever passes that force defenders to sag off of him, but his capable 3-point stroke forces defenders to stay honest.

Should Whiteside start shooting the 3 however, his notorious tunnel vision would limit his effectiveness beyond the arc.

Through four seasons with Miami, Whiteside has never averaged more than one assist per game, a mark which came this season. His passes are more a function of an inability to score in a possession than actively looking for the open man.

Regardless of how smooth of a jump shot he develops, his shoot-first, shoot-second mentality limits how effective he can be outside of the paint.

Similarly, at 7-feet tall, Miami is better off with less time spent with Whiteside dribbling outside of the paint.

Forcing one of the Heat’s guards – Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, etc. – to play off ball for any stretch of time while Whiteside works his magic up top, is a disastrous recipe.

Whiteside is Miami’s best option for securing offensive rebounds and finishing put backs. Even better is when he manages to turn a two-point play into three, recovering an offensive board and finding the appropriate kickout.

Bam Adebayo is a close second in tracking down missed buckets, but that skill set is Whiteside’s bread and butter. Removing him from his home within 12 feet of the hoop, narrows the operating window for the rest of Miami’s roster.

Though knocking down a bailout 3 could be a useful tool for Whiteside, he shouldn’t find himself making a name from downtown. His colleagues like DeAndre Jordan and Rudy Gobert have become integral members of their clubs by streamlining their skill sets.

Whiteside has plenty of opportunities to become an essential member of the Miami Heat moving forward. Knowing when to buck popular trends will be his guiding light next season.