Players to Watch For in Atlanta’s Southeast Division

Justise Winslow and Hassan Whiteside – Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are perhaps definitely the worst hit team by a departure in the division and perhaps definitely the entire NBA. For most, the day Dwyane Wade played in a jersey that did not have ‘Miami’ or ‘Heat’ written upon it would be never. He seemed to be the epitome of a one-team guy and Miami had become his home. He had won three rings there and done so with two really good friends, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. The unthinkable happened, though and D-Wade moved back to Chicago, leaving the Heat to wonder what went wrong. This could point to Pat Riley’s reluctance to offer Wade the salary he deserved, considering the 34-year-old has never been the highest paid player on the team.

One good bit of business for the Heat, though, was the re-signing of Hassan Whiteside. As recently as 2012 and 2013, Hassan Whiteside was playing in Lebanon and China.  His NBA career, at the moment stalled with the Sacramento Kings. In late 2014, the Miami Heat finally took a chance on Whiteside and the rest is history.

"“You know if you sign that we will invest everything we have into you: staff, resources, time, energy, love, all of it. We’re going to invest it into you, but there’s going to be expectations also of a commitment back in terms of work and discipline and accountability, and it doesn’t make you a bad guy if this isn’t for you,” Spoelstra told Whiteside, via Bleacher Report’s Johnathan Abrams. “This is the situation that I think is best for me,” Whiteside said in response to Spoelstra."

Whiteside could not have been more correct. Having been a kid that struggled somewhat with maturity and finding the right mindset, the then-24 year old broke out in a serious way, averaging a double-double in that first season.

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The next campaign proved Whiteside was a star. His points and rebounds increased and he led the league in blocks with a whopping 3.7 per game. The 7’0 center quickly established himself as a huge shot-blocker, a ferocious dunker and a beast on the boards, giving the Heat the third piece they had lacked since LeBron’s return to Ohio.

With Wade gone and Bosh’s status unknown, Whiteside becomes the face of the franchise. Can he up his game to make up for these losses? Only time will tell. A new era has begun in South Florida and Whiteside will be a key part of it. If he is going to keep Miami in contention, Whiteside will need to take the final step into stardom but it is more than possible. With Goran Dragic at the helm and Justise Winslow on the wing, Whiteside will be Miami’s X-factor and that makes him a player to watch.

For  Winslow, losing the mentorship of Wade after one season has to hurt but it offers him a chance to step into the vacuum and flourish. With Wade bossing the team, Winslow was a defense-first guy.

"“He managed to excel primarily as a defensive stopper, and shows potential of being elite in this regard. He has the speed and footwork to harass smaller guards but has the strength (at 6-7 and 225 lbs.) to guard larger front court players…” FanSided’s David Ramil said."

Now, the 20-year-old has the chance to expand his game to try to put his offense on display, after a shaky rookie season. He struggled to create his own shots and his three-point shooting was inconsistent. On top of that, Winslow failed to use his athleticism and speed to make driving to the basket a real weapon but there aren’t many worries about that in Florida.

"“I trust whatever shot he winds up taking, I feel good about it. I know he’s worked extremely hard, not only on just his jump shot but overall game, trying to find ways to improve, finding ways to get better as a player,” Miami assistant coach Juwan Howard said, via Ramil. “Justise is a hybrid player. I think he’s a very skilled playmaker that we haven’t seen a lot of.”"

This year, you can expect Winslow to continue to develop into a truly premier defensive wing and should his offense blossom, Wade’s role will be his. That is what makes him worth watching. The ultra-athletic, hard-working small forward has all the tools to become a star. And, with Winslow and Whiteside, Miami can expect to have a strong defense on the whole.  These two are definitely worth watching because, if Miami is to succeed, it will be on them.

Next: A Much Needed Return In Charlotte