NBA Trade Rumors: Heat, Clippers discussing Whiteside for Jordan swap?

NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat and LA Clippers might be discussing the potential for a Hassan Whiteside for DeAndre Jordan swap

Fresh off shipping their franchise player to the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night, the LA Clippers are nowhere near being done reshapping their roster.

At the very least, they will make one more move. However, it’s highly likely that they have a couple moves left before next week’s NBA trade deadline, with the team’s focus on moving DeAndre Jordan.

And while we know that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks have been the two primary teams leading the charge for Jordan, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer mentions that there is one dark horse team that could land the big man’s services.

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According to O’Connor, there are rumblings that the Heat and Clippers could swap their two big name big men ahead of the trade deadline.

"[via The Ringer]It’s been reported that the Cavaliers, Bucks, and Blazers all have interest in DeAndre Jordan. There are also rumblings about a swap with the Heat for Hassan Whiteside, which doesn’t entirely make sense for either side, but is out there nonetheless."

Even though on the surface this may not make much sense, it is an interesting proposal for a number of reasons.

If the Clippers want a cheaper (in the long run) replacement for the soon-to-be free agent Jordan, Whiteside isn’t the worst option. He’s as athletic as Jordan and does a lot of what he does, but he’s much more skilled on the offensive end. If LA doesn’t want to go through an entire rebuild, adding a player like Whiteside isn’t as far-fetched as it may seem. Plus, if they can add one of Miami’s young perimeter players in the process, it might be a solid bet.

As for the Heat, this could be an avenue for the team to get out of some of the salary cap trouble that is coming their way if they fail to move one of their big contracts.

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Not only would moving Whiteside give this team some immediate salary relief, but it could give them flexibility heading into the summer – something that Pat Riley always seems to want.

Still, this is a big move for both sides. And seems downright unlikely, honestly. However, it’s just one more element to think about as the trade deadline draws near.