The Miami Heat are open to trading improving center Hassan Whiteside, although there are certain factors regarding his contract that may hinder potential deals from turning into reality.
ESPN's Chris Broussard said there is a possibility Whiteside might leave South Beach before the trade deadline (Feb. 18) takes effect, but his contract will make it difficult for the Heat to part ways with him through trade.
Whiteside's current contract is earning him just $981,348 this season and is expiring once the 2015–16 National Basketball Association (NBA) season concludes.
Whiteside's salary makes it almost impossible to move him without another Heat player involved, Broussard stated.
However, he suggested that if the Heat wants to deal away Whiteside they can pair him with the likes of veteran forward Luol Deng and perhaps get a quality small forward in return.
Another major factor is that he is entering free agency this 2016, since his two-year contract with Miami is already in its second year.
A team aiming to trade for the 26-year-old should consider this since he might not re-sign once the season ends and will opt to explore free agency.
Whiteside can no doubt be a starter for any team in the NBA, currently averaging career-bests 12.2 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.9 rejections in 28.2 minutes per game.
But the structure of his contract with Miami is a thing of concern for any team trying to add the young center.
Along with this, Whiteside was also been involved in a number of incidents, with the most recent the elbowing of San Antonio Spurs center Boban Marjanović in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's game.
The act led to a flagrant 2 foul on Whiteside who was ejected and, according to reports, was sent home by the Heat.
In an official release by the NBA, Whiteside was handed a one-game suspension which was announced by league executive vice president of basketball operations Kiki Vandeweghe last Thursday.
