Erik Spoelstra: Heat 'here 100 percent' to facilitate Hassan Whiteside's dreams

The arc of Hassan Whiteside's season did not match the ultimate needs of the Miami Heat, whose playoffs ended with a first-round ouster this week to the Philadelphia 76ers.

That much is certain.

On Friday, coach Eric Spoelstra tried to tamp down any notion the Heat have in any way given up on Whiteside, who is owed $25.4 million next season with a player option available in the season after that -- for $27 million.

"This is one of those periods that we know how to manage and help players get through," Spoelstra said, while speaking to reporters in an end-of-the season news conference. "And when you get through it, there's tremendous growth opportunity on the other side of that.

"We are still here 100 percent to serve and help Hassan reach his dreams."

Whiteside was limited to an average of 15.4 minutes against Philadelphia. During the five-game series, Whiteside suggested a change in Miami's offensive approach had affected his production in the playoffs.

"Unfortunately, we ran out of time and that's the story line right now," Spoelstra said, according to local reports. "But once we get into the summer, the relationship and the commitment won't change. I love working with Hassan. I love the journey. I love all of it. I want all of our players, including Hassan, to reach their fullest potential to be able to help the team accomplish this ultimate goal.

"All of us that have been through it know how uneven that road is and how uncomfortable that road can be and all the ups and downs."

Whiteside kicked off the regular season on fire, scoring 26 points and grabbing 22 rebounds. But the Heat lost that game to the Orlando Magic, and Whiteside was injured when he bumped knees with Magic center Nikola Vucevic, an ailment that cost him 18 games before he was lost to a hip injury for another nine.

Spoelstra said Friday he wasn't "making any excuse" for Whiteside, but that injuries were simply part of the reality of playing in the NBA.

"Players have to go through that from time to time," Spoelstra said. "But he played six weeks with that not at a level that he wanted to. Then we had to sit him out for six weeks, and from there it just became uneven."

Spoelstra said several times during the Heat's first-round series that it was his responsibility to get more from Whiteside, whose diminished minutes in the first two games of the series were in part due to the Sixers playing smaller lineups with Joel Embiid (orbital fracture) sidelined.

Embiid returned for Game 3, but that didn't lead to more playing time for Whiteside. The Heat center picked up two fouls in the opening six minutes of the first quarter and was limited by foul trouble for much of the game.

"The narrative and the storylines that will be out there, I do think are unfair about Hassan right now," Spoelstra said Friday.

Earlier in the regular season, the Heat fined Whiteside for "comments detrimental to the team" in response to his remarks expressing frustration over a diminished role.

"He really battled and grinded through not feeling 100 percent, several times," Spoelstra said. "It's just one of those seasons that never felt like he was able to fully be healthy and ready to give like he was in that first game."

Information from ESPN's Ian Begley was used in this report.