MIAMI – Pat Riley got his man.
Heat center Hassan Whiteside announced Friday morning on Snapchat that he is re-signing with Miami.
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The move comes less than eight hours after free agents could officially begin talking to teams about new contracts. The 7-foot big man met with representatives from the Heat and the Dallas Mavericks in New York early Friday morning.
But just after 7:30 a.m., Whiteside posted a video on Snapchat with the caption "#Heatnation it is." He had warned fans earlier in the morning he would make the announcement on the social media site.
An article by Whiteside appeared on the Player's Tribune website in conjunction with the announcement:
"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.
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."
Riley called Whiteside the team's top priority in free agency, however the recruiting had some roller coasters over the past week. The Heat had reportedly fallen behind the Mavericks in the Whiteside chase as recently as Thursday evening.
It was thought Whiteside would first meet with the Mavericks early Friday morning. However, Riley sneaked in and stole the first meeting, according to Yahoo!
Heat star Dwyane Wade, who is reportedly open to other offers, took to Twitter to congratulate his teammate.
Big big congrats to @youngwhiteside Your dedication and hard work to the game has finally paid off..#Caniborrow5dollars
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) July 1, 2016
Chris Bosh also congratulated Whiteside on Twitter.
Congrats to the big fella @youngwhiteside Great to have you back bro!
— Chris Bosh (@chrisbosh) July 1, 2016
Whiteside joined the Heat in 2014 after playing abroad for several years. The 27-year-old is expected to sign a maximum contract, but details have not yet been released.