The Phoenix Suns could trade for the Miami Heat’s Hassan Whiteside
The Phoenix Suns and Heat center Hassan Whiteside could benefit if the two clubs could come together to execute a trade that would send him to Phoenix.
The Phoenix Suns have some questions at the center position this season. In the past, I have wrote about the reasons why each of the Suns’ active centers are not the long term solutions at center. While acquiring a quality starting center in the draft or free agency this offseason could be solid options for the Suns to consider, the Suns could easily steal one before the February trade deadline. The Suns could solve it’s problem at the center position by trading for the Miami Heat’s starting center Hassan Whiteside.
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According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, Whiteside might become one of the odd men out of Miami if his play can’t come together, among other things. Primarily the reason being that as of now, the Heat are playing much better offensive basketball with Kelly Olynyk than with Whiteside. Also trading Whiteside could somewhat help the Heat’s salary cap situation. Lowe did make clear to communicate that if Whiteside can play like he as in past seasons then it will hurt Miami to trade the big man.
Suns’ general manager Ryan McDonough will have to do one good job of convincing the Heat’s front office to trade Whiteside. McDonough should echo Lowe’s points about how the Heat are better on offense without Whiteside and how trading him might help their cap situation. After hitting those points home to Miami’s President Pat Riley, McDonough should hit Riley with this trade package.
In this proposed deal, Miami will get their own pick back which will add a first round talent to their roster and get Alex Len to fill in as backup center. Len is a downgrade from Whiteside, but he does bring plenty off the bench while having a career season. Which is something that should catch the eye of Miami’s front office. The Heat could buyout Greg Monroe for this season or try to incorporate the big man. That is completely up to Riley, but this trade provides several positives for the Heat. Miami gets some cap relief, a solid one or two back up centers (depending on what they do with Monroe) and most importantly, give a clear path to Bam Adebayo to develop into a possibly better player than Whiteside. Adebayo could soon become the primary starter or backup center for the Heat depending on what happens to Len and Monroe between the proposed trade and next season.
The Suns could do this trade, because it would supply the answer at center the Suns need. Whiteside would be a great player to have with Devin Booker in the pick-n-roll and he would help tighten up the Suns’ defense. Yes, giving up Len during a career year and a draft pick would stink, but Whiteside is worth the price. Whiteside would be featured offensively a lot more in Phoenix than in Miami, which would benefit him and the Suns.
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This trade would be a hard sell for Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough to make. However, if McDonough can drive home those points made by Lowe, Riley could be willing to do a similar deal to the trade mentioned above. Doing a trade for Whiteside would have the Suns only a point guard away from completing the rebuild.