The discord between Hassam Whiteside and the Miami Heat appears to get more serious the deeper their offseason gets.
Whiteside and the Heat obviously did not see each other eye to eye last season, particularly during the playoffs, when the big man was constantly dropping signs of disappointment over the way he was being used in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Apparently, Whiteside’s resentment towards his team and critics has carried over into the offseason, as just recently, he posted a video on social media showing his ability to shoot from distance which he was not able to showcase in the playoffs.
It could also be surmised that Whiteside’s video was a form of reaction to a Heat advertisement that did not have his likeness, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel.
Whiteside's post came days after the Heat unveiled a mural at the new Brightline train station in downtown Miami.
The mural, which is an advertisement for Heat season tickets, features the slogan, “Cut through traffic, finish at the rim.” Next to the “cut through the traffic” portion of the oversized poster is a photo of All-Star guard Goran Dragic. However, next to the portion that reads “finish at the rim” is a photo of rookie center Bam Adebayo.
The Heat choosing a rookie in Adebayo to represent the team’s frontcourt in the mural instead of Whiteside is one way to agitate an emotional player like the shot-blocking machine.
Hassan Whiteside finished the regular season with averages of 14.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 54 games. He was barely a factor in the playoffs, though, as he mustered just 5.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in five games against the Sixers.
Whiteside has two more years left on his current contract he signed with the Heat in 2016.
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