It was a crazy eight hours or so for one of the most highly covet free agents on the market, Hassan Whiteside. Along with the incumbent Miami Heat, Whiteside was courted by the Dallas Mavericks and the Portland Trail Blazers. He said he wouldn't let his decision linger on past July 1st, and he was right.
Through the Player's Tribune, Whiteside announced that he'll be returning to the Heat.
Here's his statement:
I’ve played on eight teams since college — from Reno to Sioux Falls to Sichuan, China.
I am not ready for there to be a ninth.
I have decided to re-sign with Miami. I just wanted to take this time to tell all the fans how much you mean to this team, and to me.
Can’t wait to get back to work and try to bring another championship to Miami. #HeatNation
While the full terms of the deal are yet to be official, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reports that it will be a four-year contract worth the max. USA Today Sports' Jeff Zillgitt reports that it's worth $98 million over the course of those four years.
Late last night, the Mavericks appeared to have pulled ahead of Miami in the Whiteside sweepstakes, but after meeting with Pat Riley and the rest of the Heat brass, he ultimately decided to keep his talents in South Beach.
Last season, Whiteside averaged 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.7 blocks per game.
[button width=”full” button size=”bigger” color=”custom” align=”center” textcolor=”#ffffff” texthcolor=”#ffffff” bgcolor=”#8b0000″ link=”https://clutchpoints.com/hassan-whiteside-reflects-on-how-far-his-basketball-career-has-come/”]NEXT: Hassan Whiteside reflects on how far his basketball career has come[/button]
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