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Miami Heat: 5 potential trade destinations for Hassan Whiteside

By Rahmeaun Rahming

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 25: Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat looks on during the first half of an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on November 25, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 25: Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat looks on during the first half of an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on November 25, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 27: Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat greets Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers at American Airlines Arena on October 27, 2018 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 27: Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat greets Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers at American Airlines Arena on October 27, 2018 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Portland Trailblazers
Outgoing: Evan Turner and Zach Collins

The red-hot Portland Blazers started the season 10-3 including, a six-point win against the Boston Celtics, and a puzzling (yet wonderful) nine-point loss to thei Heat.

Little did the league at-large know though, that that loss may define the Blazers run this year.

As of the writing of this article, they have lost six of their last seven games.

They’re getting dangerously close to playing .500 ball, and everyone knows that doesn’t earn you a Western Conference playoff spot.

Head coach Terry Stotts let the media know his job was very much in jeopardy this summer too, after his 49-win team was swept out of the first round of the playoffs by a DeMarcus Cousins-less New Orleans Pelicans team.

Stotts’ contract goes until to the summer of 2020, and what do you know? Whiteside’s player option goes to the summer of 2020 as well.

Since the team is in a weird place these days, a trade with the Heat could be precisely what they need. Of course, they already have a starting center in Jusuf Nurkić, but he’s on a very team friendly four-year, $48 million deal that he signed this past summer, with the final year only being guaranteed for $4 million.

Nurkić hasn’t been able to carve out a significant role on the team, with many fans and media members wondering what will be his calling card in the NBA.

And the Blazers have been getting filleted from the moment they gave Evan Turner his fully guaranteed four-year, $70 million contract back in 2016.

With him averaging just eight points, five boards, and three assists a game, he’s essentially a very expensive Justise Winslow, but this would allow the Heat to trade Winslow for whatever young prospects and draft picks are possible, while waiting for Turner’s contract to end in the summer of 2020.

It’d be nice to get the young Zach Collins, as to groom him into a Kelly Olynyk-esque product or beyond.

And while I’m sure the Blazers won’t be happy to hear Riley asking for Collins in a trade, if I’m them, I still pull the trigger on the deal, knowing I’ll have two big men that’ll take reps away from him.

One until possibly 2021, and the other hopefully deciding that playing with an All-NBA First Team point guard in Damian Lillard and a fringe All-Star shooting guard in CJ McCollum, is worth sticking around for the long run.

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