Still in the game
Heat leader said it’s up to Whiteside to succeed
Heat president Pat Riley has faith in center Whiteside.
MIAMI — Miami Heat president Pat Riley wants to make one thing clear about the organization’s relationship with center Hassan Whiteside.
The team wants him here, and has never thought otherwise. That was the message Riley relayed Friday during a nearly 25-minute media teleconference.
“Contrary to what a lot of people think and say, he has not been shopped all over the league,” Riley said. “People just don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. We value his talent. We value what he can do.”
At times, Whiteside appeared disgruntled during the past two seasons. Whether it was a profanity-laced rant during post-game interviews or openly criticizing coach Erik Spoelstra, Whiteside held little back when he was unhappy.
Riley defended Whiteside but said he needs to develop a better understanding of team success.
“Stuff happens, things are said, players are frustrated,” Riley said. “Guys have great pride. They want to be on the court. This is nothing new. One of the reasons why it becomes so widespread is because one comment leads into a million comments. But Hassan has a lot of work to do, not just to verbally demand that he wants more minutes or he wants a different role. He’s got to do what Erik thinks is in the best interest of the team.”
Last season, Whiteside averaged seven fewer minutes (25.3) than the previous year and was often a spectator in the fourth
quarter. Despite being the team’s highest-paid player, he was a non-factor in the Heat’s first-round playoff loss against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Whiteside, who averaged 14 points and 11.4 rebounds, drew plenty of criticism from fans and media but Riley said he still backs the decision to sign him to a four-year, $98-million contract in 2016. After Whiteside became one of the better feel-good stories in the league, Riley now wants to see the player who went from the G League to earning consideration for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The Heat want Whiteside focused on rebounding, shot-blocking and playing hard on a nightly basis instead of scoring and playing time.
“I’m convinced and I’m confident that if he just comes and plays every night as hard as he can play and do what does he does best,” Riley said. “… If he does it with a pure heart and not with a mixed-up mind about, ‘I need more of this or that,’ I think he’ll have a great year.”
Whiteside is scheduled to make a trip to Africa next week to participate in an exhibition game featuring NBA players. He will be accompanied by assistant coach Juwan Howard, who will continue his offseason work with Whiteside.
Riley said it falls mostly on Whiteside if he reports to training camp in September ready to revert to the player the Heat felt they were getting when they invested so much.
“He has that in him but it’s up to him,” Riley said. “There’s been a lot of players in their careers that have had bumps in the road somewhere along the way where all of a sudden maybe they didn’t think it was going the way they wanted it to go. But Hassan simply has something to prove and prove to himself, prove to us and prove to a lot of the people out there who are second-guessing him. I am expecting him to have a great year. I really am.”