It appears that The Cleveland Cavaliers are far from finished in terms of revamping their post-LeBron James roster. Rumors have surfaced that the Cavs have set their sights on Miami Heat big man Hassan Whiteside, and are willing to part ways with several valuable assets just to land the 7-foot big man.
It was Miami insider Michael Shofner that broke the news on his piece for the All U Can Heat website.
“…never shy about making deals, the Cavaliers are rumored to still be interested in Whiteside,” claims Shofner.
Despite not having the best relationship with his employer, Whiteside still comes with a hefty price tag given that the 29-year-old is still seen by some as having centerpiece potential. The Cavaliers front office are apparently willing to meet this price by offering two key members of their squad in exchange for Whiteside.
“The rumored potential deal would send Whiteside to Cleveland in exchange for Tristan Thompson and Kyle Korver,” adds Shofner.
For the Heat, this presents an opportunity to finally move on from their on-again, off-again relationship with Whiteside. The big man’s contract also stipulates that he will have a player option next season, which means that Miami could lose him next summer without getting anything in return. Now would be the perfect time for the Heat to try and trade Whiteside, if they are indeed keen on taking that path.
Should this deal push through, it would definitely give the Cavaliers an upgrade in the center position. This would also allow Kevin Love to slide back to his comfort zone at the four. Losing Korver would be a significant blow, but the recent addition of small forward Sam Dekker could help fill the void.
This would be a win-win situation for all parties involved, including Whiteside. A change in scenery for the 29-year-old could prove to be the motivation for him to take his game to the next level.