Hassan Whiteside still plans to finalize a four-year contract with the Miami Heat despite the exit of Dwyane Wade.
Whiteside was asked to confirm his plans as his contract remains unofficial at this time. While it is rare for a player to back out of a deal, it has happened in the past. Just last season, DeAndre Jordan had a verbal agreement with the Dallas Mavericks before electing to return to the Los Angeles Clippers.
When he was asked if he would renege on his deal, Whiteside was very clear on his thoughts.
"No way," Whiteside told the Sun-Sentinel. "Four more years."
The Heat are sure to be relieved by this comment as they look to build around Whiteside going forward. The center had a tremendous 2015-16 season and was one of the most talked-about big men in the league. Whiteside has the potential to be an All-Star for years to come.
Whiteside's four-year contract is worth a reported $98 million making him one of Miami's highest paid players. Only Chris Bosh's contract exceeds the annual average value of Whiteside's new deal. Bosh could be playing alongside Whiteside next season, which is something that hasn't happened too often as of yet.
The Heat could finalize Whiteside's deal on Friday and still have several other moves they need to make. Miami has roughly $19 million in space left for next season's payroll and only a handful of players under contract.
