New detail on Hassan Whiteside contract: it's Durant-friendly

Hassan Whiteside played his cards perfectly, getting a maximum contract in principle from the Miami Heat, after there had been some reluctance to offer one. 

But he's done something else:

He's given Pat Riley more cards to play with.

According to multiple sources, the Heat center agreed to take less than $98 million over four years on one condition -- that it helps the Heat land Kevin Durant, with whom Riley and Micky Arison will meet in the Hamptons on Sunday. Durant has already met with the Thunder and Warriors, and is meeting with the Clippers, Celtics and Spurs before he meets with Miami.

How much less?

That's not clear, though I was told that the total reduction in the event of a Durant signing would be less than $10 million. If Miami re-signs Dwyane Wade at a contract starting anywhere close to $20 million, it would still need to trade Goran Dragic and Josh McRoberts for nothing just to get close to Durant's max.

Still, it was a good faith gesture from Whiteside, and it's a good start to the rest of his Heat tenure. 

Hassan Whiteside announces on Snapchat he's staying with the Miami Heat

.@youngwhiteside signs with Miami #Heat!!! We love u Hassan! pic.twitter.com/HSeSMRD3L5

— /r/Heat (@Heat_Reddit) July 1, 2016

Whiteside also posted the following message on The Players' Tribune website around the same time he announced the news on Snapchat.

"I've played on eight teams since college — from Reno to Sioux Falls to Sichuan, China. I am not ready for there to be a ninth," he wrote.

"I have decided to re-sign with Miami. I just wanted to take this time to tell all the fans how much you mean to this team, and to me. Can’t wait to get back to work and try to bring another championship to Miami." #HeatNation

Report: Heat leave meeting with Hassan Whiteside without agreement

Pat Riley stayed true to his word.

He said last month the Miami Heat would be "right there at 12:01 a.m." to meet with Hassan Whiteside at the start of NBA free agency. And the Heat was there.

According to The Vertical's Shams Charania, it was the Heat and not the Mavericks who first met with the league's leading shot blocker in New York early Friday morning. But the Heat, Charania reported, left its meeting without an agreement.

The Mavericks, expected to put forth a max contract offer for Whiteside, were due up next according to Charania. There's no word yet if the Heat offered Whiteside the maximum -- four years, $98 million -- during its meeting.

Earlier Thursday, there was growing sentiment internally for the Heat to offer Whiteside a max deal (if Miami would not be able to land Kevin Durant), even though some inside the Heat do not view him as a max player.

Former Cleveland Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov, who averaged 6.3 points, 4.4 rebound and 17.4 minutes per game last season, came to an unexpected and quick four-year, $64 million agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Former Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, who missed 68 games and averaged just 6.3 points and 9.4 rebounds over the last two seasons, is reportedly expected to finalize a four-year, $72 million deal with the New York Knicks as early as Friday.

With Mozgov and Noah garnering that kind of money, its only put more pressure on the Heat to give into Whiteside's demands. After all, he finished third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, led the league in blocks and averaged 14.2 points and 11.8 rebounds last season.