Report: Miami Heat To Call-Up Hassan Whiteside

Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Miami Heat are set to call-up center Hassan Whiteside from the D-League. Ira Winderman noted that the Heat could assign Andre Dawkins to the Sioux Falls Skyforce through the affiliate rule or waive Justin Hamilton before his contract becomes guaranteed on December 1st to make space for Whiteside.

Since being drafted with the 33rd pick in 2010, Whiteside has spent most of his time in the D-League. Before the Sacramento King waived him in 2012, they assigned Whiteside to the Reno Bighorns on several occasions. He played for both the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Rio Grande Valley Vipers during the 2012-2013 season, and has since spent time in both China and Lebanon. He returned stateside when the Memphis Grizzlies signed him to a non-guaranteed contract this offseason.

Whiteside has appeared in three games for the Iowa Energy this season, posting career-highs of 22.0 points, 15.7 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game on 85.7 percent shooting from the floor. In the Energy’s season opener, he dominated the undersized Reno Bighorns to the tune of 30 points, 22 rebounds and eight blocks. The Memphis Grizzlies rewarded him with a call-up on November 20th, but cut him a day later.

While Whiteside is currently 12th in the D-League in scoring, he is still quite raw offensively. It’s no surprise that the bulk of his points this season have come off of alley-oops, put backs and fast breaks. He has benefitted greatly from playing alongside a trio facilitators in Damien Wilkins, Diante Garrett and Kalin Lucas, who have combined to average 19.6 assists per game. What Whiteside does have going for him, though, is that he’s a big and athletic target. He knows how to use his length and leaping ability to finish shots in the paint, and he’s capable of playing above the rim.

Where Whiteside’s presence is felt the most is on the defensive end, and that’s why the Heat are taking a chance on him. Other than Chris Andersen they don’t have any defensive-minded bigs on their roster. With Chris Bosh shouldering the bulk of the scoring load, they can’t afford to have him chasearound the opposing team’s best front court player. Adding a 7-footer who can protect the rim like Whiteside should help relieve some of that pressure.

With Andersen suffering an ankle injury on Sunday and Justin Hamilton falling out of the rotation (he has played just four minutes in the last eight games) there’s a strong possibility that Whiteside gets a shot to prove himself with the Heat over the coming week(s). They’re thin on big men as it is, and Whiteside certainly fits a need. If he’s able to prove that he can be a difference maker on the defensive end of the court, there’s reason to believe that the Heat will flirt with the idea of keeping him around on a guaranteed deal.

Whiteside has proven that he’s one of the best defensive bigs in the D-League. Now it’s time to see if those skills can finally translate to the NBA.