HEADLINE

Reports: Whiteside exercises $27.1M option to stay in Miami

Field Level Media

June 22, 2019 at 1:16 am.

Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside has decided to forgo free agency, electing to exercise his one-year, $27.1 million player option to remain in South Florida for the 2019-20 season, multiple outlets reported.

Whiteside, 30, averaged 12.3 points and 11.3 rebounds for the Heat this past season. In five seasons with Miami, the 7-foot, 265-pounder has averaged 13.4 points and 11.4 rebounds.

He had five games with at least 20 rebounds this past season, all by Dec. 2, including a 24-rebound game Oct. 29 against the Sacramento Kings. He then added a 29-point, 20-rebound game against the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 7.

A product of Marshall, Whiteside was drafted in the second round by the Sacramento Kings in 2010 but played just 19 games with them over two seasons, averaging 1.5 points with 2.1 rebounds. He spent the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons playing in Lebanon and China.