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The Los Angeles Lakers will "aggressively pursue" signing Miami Heat free agent center Hassan Whiteside, according to ESPN. Whiteside, 27, averaged a league-leading 3.7 blocks in the 2015-16 season and is a "primary target" for the Lakers as they address their rim protection and perimeter shooting needs, per ESPN.
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Whiteside isn't ruling out re-signing with Miami, but hopes to make a decision by the first day of free agency, which begins at 12:01 a.m. on July 1.
"I didn't say (Miami) wasn't the best situation, but we're going to see what happens," Whiteside told ESPN.com. "It's not like I'm really counting the Heat out or counting on another team. It's just open."
Whiteside, who is likely to command a max contract worth nearly $95 million over four years, is also drawing interest from the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers.
The seven-footer averaged career highs in points (14.2) and rebounds (11.8) on 60.6 percent shooting in 73 games last season, his fourth in the league.
He began his career in Sacramento, but played only 19 games for the Kings. The 33rd overall pick in the 2010 draft was out of the league in 2012-13 and 2013-14 before signing with the Heat in 2014.
