Miami Heat: Is Hassan Whiteside expendable?
With how well Bam Adebayo has performed recently, should the Miami Heat consider Hassan Whiteside expendable?
Hassan Whiteside returns to the Miami Heat lineup tonight, but perhaps he shouldn’t get too comfortable.
Whiteside missed the team’s last 14 games with a knee injury. In his absence, Bam Adebayo did more than fill in for the team’s all-star caliber big man. Not only did Bam hold his own at the center position, but he began to make a name for himself.
After what was considered by many as a head-scratching pick at 14 overall, Bam is turning heads with his natural skill and athleticism. In Whiteside’s absence, Bam started 10 games while averaging 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds on 64 percent shooting from the field.
Even Goran Dragic admits that what Bam showcased during Whiteside’s absence shouldn’t be ignored.
Goran on what the #Heat learned during Hassan's absence: "I think Bam showed us he has great qualities, that he can play a lot of minutes."
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) December 26, 2017
The most interesting aspect of this quote by Dragic is the second part. It’s not fair to Dragic to read into this more than a vote of confidence for Bam, but it does raise an intriguing question.
Has Bam’s ability to play effective starter minutes at the center position make Hassan Whiteside expendable?
On the surface, the answer is a resounding no. After all, Bam isn’t putting up quite the numbers that Whiteside puts up when he’s healthy. Hassan is averaging 15 points, 13 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game this season – and that’s while he was dragging his bum knee around.
Problem is, Hassan was a value player when he wasn’t making $23-plus million per season. Not anymore. In fact, you could actually make the argument that Hassan is one of the most overpaid players in the NBA today. Especially in a league that is quickly drifting away from the big man.
On the other hand, Bam, who is making just $2.4 million this season, is the value player. Bam is averaging a little under 20 minutes per game this season. If you extend his minutes to 36, he’d be averaging somewhere close to 13 points and nine rebounds (PER 36). Not bad, and that’s likely just enough that you need in a perimeter-oriented NBA.
There’s a definite dilemma here for the Miami Heat. They have two quality and playable centers, when two quality and playable centers aren’t need in today’s NBA.
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Bam Adebayo’s play over the last few of weeks could open the door for a potential Hassan Whiteside trade at the deadline. If nothing else, it gives the Miami Heat some desperately needed flexibility – and options – moving forward.