Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside. (Photo : Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers joined the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and Portland Trail Blazers in this summer's hunt for big man Hassan Whiteside as reports have emerged that the Hollywood squad will "aggressively pursue" the Heat center in free-agency this July.
ESPN reported that the Lakers are planning to "aggressively pursue" the 7-foot, 265-pound center when the NBA free-agency period begins on July 1 as "rim protection and perimeter shooting" are said to be the greatest areas of need in the current lineup of new coach Luke Walton.
As the NBA's leading shot blocker last season with 3.7 blocks per game in 73 games for the Heat, Whiteside has said to become a "priority target" for general manager Mitch Kupchak and company.
With Miami reportedly eyeing Kevin Durant this offseason, there were rumors that the South Florida team could no longer afford to give the former Marshall standout his wage demand, should they succeed in luring Durant, which is expected to significantly increase after two seasons of impressive play with the Heat.
Whiteside had just finished a two-year, $1.75 million deal in Miami that earned him $769,881 in the first year and $981,348 in the last, which is more than a bargain compared his stats of 11.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in 2014-2015 and career-highs of 14.2 points, 11.8 boards, and 3.7 blocks in 2015-2016.
The report noted that with those strong numbers, White is "expected to command a maximum contract, with a first-season salary forecast in the $22 million range".
Los Angeles is also anticipated to make a run for Durant, although the 2014 MVP had already said that he will not schedule a meeting with the Lakers this summer. Still, because of the team's sufficient salary cap space, their pursuit of the Oklahoma City star will not affect giving Whiteside the max salary that he wants.
Meanwhile, Whiteside recently posted a "cryptic message" in his social media account that he is a "businessman that plays basketball" at the same time when reports went out that LA is out to aggressively come after him, according to the Washington Post.
With that, speculations have emerged that he is intending to listen to what the Lakers has to offer before making his final decision in free-agency.
