Recent rumors are out that the Los Angeles Lakers are ready to offer Hassan Whiteside a maximum salary deal this summer, but the Miami Heat center allegedly wants to stay in South Florida despite the opportunity to earn more elsewhere.

The 26-year-old big man had attracted the interest of several NBA clubs after his impressive season in South Beach where he averaged career-highs in points, rebounds, and blocks with 14.2, 11.8, and 3.7 per game respectively.

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He is set to become an unrestricted free agent this coming free-agency period and a number of teams are said to be targeting him, including the Hollywood squad Lakers.

Lakers Nation noted that the team is "desperately in need of a young center" with Whiteside's skill set. Having him start alongside Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, and D'Angelo Russell could certainly pry the interest of the biggest free agent this year, Kevin Durant.

Reports are out that the Lakers are prepared to offer the 2016 NBA blocks leader a maximum salary deal he wants and deserves just to lure him in, something which his current team is not ready to do.

With Miami not owning Whiteside's Bird Rights, they will be forced to use the salary cap to re-sign him this summer. Taking that into account, the team still has to worry about re-signing their other big-name free agents as well, such as Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Joe Johnson, and Udonis Haslem, all of which are also unrestricted free agents with the big man in July.

The Heat are speculated to be in the hunt for Durant as well and so saving some cap space for a maxed Whiteside would be next to impossible for Pat Riley's team.

If that is the case then it could be good news for the Lakers.

However, Fansided reported that Whiteside is fine with less than a max contract as he is said to be keen on staying in Miami for the foreseeable future.

The report said that "money isn't the chief concern surrounding free agency in Whiteside's eyes" at the moment, although things could change once the real wheeling and dealing begins and the numbers of potential salaries are thrown around for the players to decide on.

TagsNBA Free-Agency Rumors, NBA Free-Agency Rumors 2016, Los Angeles Lakers, Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat