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Bam Adebayo earns a finalist spot for NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award

The league is finally giving Adebayo the respect he deserves as a defender in this league.

The NBA has announced the finalists for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award, and the Miami Heat’s All-Star big man Bam Adebayo has earned a spot on the list. It is the first time he has received a finalist nod for the award in his seven-year career and joins Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama in the race.

Adebayo has regular season averages of 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks on 52% shooting, 35.7% (career-high) from 3-point range.

Unlike Gobert and Wembanyama who are more favored for the award, Adebayo’s basic defensive stats don’t pop out. The other two are averaging considerably higher blocks per game. However, Adebayo’s defense goes way beyond box score numbers like that.

He is one of the only player’s in the NBA that can defend every position 1-5 at an elite rate. His impact on that side of the ball is huge for the Heat and he is a true anchor for Miami’s top-five rated defense. Adebayo can shut down anybody, no matter the potential height difference.

The versatility defensively from Adebayo plays a pivotal part to the Heat’s success. And although he might not be considered the front runner for this award, he has earned a reputation to be in the conversation.

This is a significant step forward for Adebayo and could very much become recognized as the NBA’s best defender in the near future.

***

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Iknowtoomuch

Heat passing on Maxey in 2020 draft at #21 by taking Precious at #20 still makes me vomit. Talk about a gargantuan whiff.

heat for life

and pat drafts kentucky guys every year

Reality Czech

Here we go again. Every year???. Besides Herro and Bam, who? Most recent 2 were definitely not Kentucky. Mr Exaggeration.

Big_guy305

Even if we drafted Maxey, do you think Riley would of held on to him ? He traded precious after 1 year.

ManilaHeat

Lots of activity here for this article Bam’s almost-there award. Hehe. As usual fun exchange from bffs! RC’s gonna kill me lol. Can’t wait for game 2. See yah all.
Oh and Go Heat!!

heat for life

west is so much stronger than east.i think any west team could beat boston

heat for life

kyrie with a dunc foul there.

Reality Czech

And then it wasn’t

heat for life

kyrie is such a baller just to get the ball and not the arm or hand.when u have two offensive talents like kyrie and luka rest of roster needs to be defense and rebounding.thats exactly what dallas did u cant get to the rim on them.

heat for life

airplane mode making some bad plays at end of game

heat for life

doncic jokic jovic .which one is on the heat oh well

Reality Czech

He’s going to continue to improve

heat for life

like him and jjj hope their both all star players .but they can be just avg players to rc.time will tell

Reality Czech

If #27 and #18 picks become starters or even regular rotation players, you’re doing very good. No need for either to be all stars.

Big_guy305

Hopefully one of them can be an all star, or maybe a legit 3rd or 4th option. Both of them got the potential and both were higher picks then jimmy.

heat for life

george and harden in playoffs ill take a pass on that

heat for life

hard to go to sleep with these great playoff games

heat for life

if the heat could have gotten pj wash and gafford we would —–

SunManFromDogBone

…still be mediocre.

heat for life

wow pj wash with bam gafford jim terry to close ok.spos afraid to go big hes a fan of midget ball

SunManFromDogBone

Jim is out so wouldn’t have helped.

heat for life

your right w/o jim gafford and pj wouldnt have helped enough

Big_guy305

If we had them we would probably be 7th seed.

heat for life

couple those rebounds bam couldnt get due to lack of size or grease on his fingers would have been gobbled up by pj or gafford.so wanted to see bam and yert play together.spo never gave it a sposhot

Big_guy305

Yurt should never played for the Turkish team that year, should of waited a year, but he got hurt ,and took too long to come back, that definitely hurt him. But I agree wish it could of happened.

heat for life

lukas impossible to guard only one guy i know could guard him and his # has 2 fives in it

SunManFromDogBone

Junior Seau?

heat for life

duncan seau lol.he finished up down here what a great player.tragedy what happened to him

heat for life

luka and ty have one thing in common they take alot of ill advised shots

Reality Czech

But Doncic is such an amazing talent.

heat for life

amazing is an understatement rc

Reality Czech

Okay, what would be the accurate statement?

Big_guy305

A once in a Generation type of player.

heat for life

thats the sports word ty big.

heat for life

just kidding amazing incred unbelievable duncanish

SunManFromDogBone

Luka is a triple double superstar. Quite a few other very good European players in the NBA. Jovic, Porziņģis, Giannis, Sabonis, Markkanen, Wembanyama, Vucevic, Wagner, Vucevic and others.

heat for life

how many good white american players?

heat for life

holmgren herro ????

SunManFromDogBone

NBA is no longer a white American male’s game. That train left the station a while back.

heat for life

russell westbrook is the best player who couldnt shoot a lick, even when he was young his jumper suked .his athleticism and energy made him a hof career.only if sunc had a little of that in his body.had to get in a shot at dunc before i crashed.feels good rc lol.i liked watching the improvement in duncs game but i hope he takes his talents to north beach

Reality Czech

Yes, he can still be a liability. Teams try to isolate him. Guys like him and Herro need to be on a strong defensive team with a solid rim protector. Bam isn’t that guy because his strength is covering often at the perimeter, taking him away from the basket.

SunManFromDogBone

The trend nowadays is to have a strong defensive core (inside and perimeter) who can also make open 3’s as well as 3-4 outside gunners on the bench you can substitute interchangeably.

heat for life

we have strong defensive players jjj hh cain delon jim bam lesser degree 10 dayer.problem is putting the ball in the hoop.when ty and dunc are not on the ct which should be the whole game our defense is as good as any in the nba.dont know why spobot just doesnt go in with all defensive team aka dont play herro and dunc,previous mentioned players can all score if ty gives up his 20 shots a game

Reality Czech

Quotes from just one single thread. But now it’s, oh no, we can’t trade Jimmy.

__________________
“depressing watching butler and bam
__________________________
jim is not a dedicated athlete,commercials are for the off season son
_________________________
bam looked ok offensively for a while but lately heck no.not sure what happened.prob watching butler suk doesnt help
__________________
he gives me hope jimmy doesnt
_______________________
i think they can beat atl, chi not sure ,phily prob not.i cant believe how washed jimmy is
_______________________
every guy should be up for trading everybody theres not one keeper
______________________
a team w/o a superstar will not go very far.jimmys done”

heat for life

is he not our best player

heat for life

jimmy during reg season half asses it paces himself for playoffs

Reality Czech

At least hypothetically, if he didn’t half ass it so much, we wouldn’t have been in the play-in and he wouldn’t have gotten hurt.

heat for life

Thats what i dont like about him hes not focused as he should be .He should hire a trainer like lebron and have a good off season come back in great condition with some new players added be ready to have a great year

SunManFromDogBone

I hope they trade him for a big haul before his value drops and Pat gets caught with his thumb where the sun don’t shine. Sell high and win…wait and lose.

heat for life

i cant take 3 or 4 years of mediocre heat bball.almost every year in the riley era the heat have been a playoff caliber team.a jimmy less team is gonna be a long long season.your not gonna get back value for jim let him finish down here add few players here.

Reality Czech

The Heat haven’t won a championship in 10 years now. The last two years they have been the eighth seed. That seems pretty mediocre to me.
And I disagree about getting value for Butler. I think we will. Others think so too.

Big_guy305

Of course butler has good value even if he getting up there in age. so me, and others would agree with you. Who wouldn’t want to give a nice package for a 2 way sf? , which is probably the best position to build around. Also he’s shooting at a career high percentage from beyond arc, so that means his game will age well. Always top of the league in steals. He still clutch in the 4th quarter, great passer, good rebounder, very high BBIQ, veteran leadership, finals experience, multiple time all-star ,and all-nba. He’s a foul drawing machine and instantly infuses toughness to whatever team, he would go to, and he isn’t injury prone. He would be the missing piece to any teams trying to get over the hump like philly, clippers, lakers, okc, pelicans, kings, etc. Off bat we should be able to get 2-3 1st rounders for him with the added players depending on the team.

Last edited 6 months ago by Big_guy305
heat for life

doesnt have the spring in his legs what i mean by being washed.has to adjust his game still a very good player

Reality Czech

No doubt

SunManFromDogBone

Since he didn’t make it to the playoffs, he got caught this time with only his half-ass efforts to show for it. He banked on a huge playoff run and a huge contract extension. I think he lost on both counts. Sometimes when you gamble…you lose.

heat for life

u think jim needs the $$ sunman .he could quit work now and support his family and many others.i think that man wants a ring.get him help pat your not that far away.ty and dunc need to go,send them to utah for jon collins and get yertsiete back

Reality Czech

Get Collins and Yurt and you’re competing for a championship? That may be the funniest thing you ever said!

SunManFromDogBone

He can go to certain places and get the money, a better chance at a ring than Miami, plus bigger markets (e.g., Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Warriors) or go for the money and the ring with Thunder, Rockets, Bucks, Cavs, Pacers, Magic, etc.

Reality Czech

Of course he is. Doesn’t mean that it isn’t time to move on. But your own words – he’s washed, he’s done, Not my words.

Last edited 6 months ago by Reality Czech
heat for life

if u can get a player or two of equal value maybe.but be careful what u wish for,if jimmy is traded be the first time in about 3 deades the heat dont have a ss.which means mediocrity for the time being.why not just try to improve team around bam terry and jim.

Reality Czech

Money and assets. It’s not as easy as you seem to think. I’ve considered Butler an A level player, A+ in the playoffs, although he was a disappointment last finals while insisting he wasn’t hurt. I’ve never considered him at the same level as LeBron, Durant, Doncic, Shaq, Kobe, others. He’s been one of the best players in the history of the team.

heat for life

ill never forget vs the lakers he had nothing to give us in the close out game..game before he was a monster.doesnt have the endurance and power of lebron.but for a good majority of playoffs hes been as good as any player in the nba.hes been the best player in the east less greek since hes been here.i really think if u can get few more players that can ball he will be more motivated,deep down inside he knows ty dunc arent his type players.

Reality Czech

He’s definitely been as good in the playoffs as just about anyone.

heat for life

doesnt have the legs and elevation anymore.he plays senior citizen ball now

heat for life

u gonna have bam as your best player good luck.lottery city here we come

Big_guy305

We’re already near end lottery pick status at 15.

Reality Czech

EXACTLY

heat for life

the year before that. pat needs to be better

Reality Czech

And when we played certain teams, he often said “why can’t we get a player like that?” Then, when you look it up, the player was a top 5 pick.
We have a decent young core. With more draft picks, we can possibly get a really good young player. It’s true that Bam is not a #1 option.

heat for life

def not an option in crunch time doesnt want ball

heat for life

how did we get bron and bosh.how did suns get kd beale.how did lakers get ad bron.need a gm to work some magic

Reality Czech

We cleared a ton of cap space the season before

SunManFromDogBone

Suns overpaid. for Beale. No depth. They suck.

Big_guy305

I would kill for a top 5 pick , but that’s the price we pay for being a well run organization, and probably the only franchise in the NBA that doesn’t try to tank. We have a very decent young core that we got from mainly picks in the mid teens, and jovic was late first rounder. Imagine if we was Boston, Multiple years tanking got them Tatum, and brown. Or even the spurs who always manage to tank around the right time to get a generational big, Robinson,duncan,and wemby.

heat for life

and the year before?

Reality Czech

18

Reality Czech

Your words – every guy should be up for trading . Everybody. There’s not one keeper. You didn’t write that a year or 6 months ago, it was a few days ago.

heat for life

currently void of a ss so yes everybody up for grabs.

Reality Czech

From Zach Lowe (thanks SM):
“If Butler’s out for the playoffs — and for this series for sure he is going to be out — he’s getting toward his mid-30s. Extension-eligible in the off-season. He has a player-option for ’25-26. This is one of the last teams in the league that could have afforded a lost playoff opportunity because the timeline on the Butler-Heat is ticking towards the end, and those extension talks — which can start this summer — those could get spicy.”

and Fansided:
there’s still a real chance these upcoming contract talks result in friction and maybe even a breakup. Butler is going to want a hefty paycheck after all he has done for the Heat, and rightfully so. The Heat won’t want to pay mid-30s Jimmy Butler, with injuries stacking up and a 3-point shot that only shows up sporadically. And rightfully so.”

heat for life

15 pt uderdog if jim was healthy that be a 4 pt underdog,but everybody wants butler gone

heat for life

u get a josh hart type 2 way player and a hartestein type player with jim terry bam jjj jovic think heat nation be happy with that.jims still got few more years left.just get him the right players

SunManFromDogBone

Butler is gone, unless Riley wants to mortgage the team’s future on an overpriced 35 year old player who has lost the pep in his step and is beginning to break down. His slow down style of play is from a bygone era. “Small Ball” is dead too! It died when the Golden State Warriors got old and failed to make the playoffs. Our young guys want to run and gun, not run out the clock and take last second desperation shots.

ALL of today’s top playoff teams have huge centers. Boston, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Lakers, Clippers, New Orleans, etc. Bam is a natural PF and can’t compete with superior size. Imagine if Miami drafts a center with potential, there are a few out there. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/prospect-rankings/centers/ There are also potentially centers available via free agency and trade, if Riley looks hard enough.

The team’s future is Bam, Rozier, Jovic and Jaquez, plus this year’s #15 draft pick and whatever assets Riley can get for Butler and Herro. At minimum, Riley should be able to get one quality starter and a ton of other assets (draft picks and young players with potential). Riley should also let those players who want to explore free agency walk away. The role players worth keeping, at the right price, are JRich, Love, Wright and Highsmith. Martin may be a good sign & trade candidate, for the right player. Otherwise, I hope he opts out and walks.

Miami needs to build around it’s assets for the future, not hold on to a dream whose time has passed. With the right vision/retooling plan, the sky is the limit!

GO HEAT!!!

heat for life

jjj and jovic better be good under your plan.getting rid of jimmy very risky.u better get something similar to his talent level,id rather keep him for a few more years and keep the team in a position to challenge for a champ,just need someone with size to go with bam and a josh hart type dog or two

SunManFromDogBone

Keeping Jimmy and being unable to come to an agreement on a discount extension is much, much riskier. Our young guys deserve younger players than Butler who they can grow with together. Specifically, Miami needs a young two-way Center and SG. Either Jovic or Jaquez can grow into Butler’s replacement.

Here’s a couple of interesting articles for you to munch on.

https://allucanheat.com/posts/miami-heat-jimmy-butler-spicy-extension?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=email&sc=e0273490fd355e2c28bdb25751d41af65a4dd80936ff00a80be9866c97887955

https://sircharlesincharge.com/posts/nba-trade-rumors-predicting-5-stars-miami-heat-will-be-in-the-mix-for-this-summer/5?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=email&sc=e0273490fd355e2c28bdb25751d41af65a4dd80936ff00a80be9866c97887955

Last edited 6 months ago by SunManFromDogBone
Reality Czech

You are 1000% correct! The time to say goodbye is when you can restock the roster. If Butler expects a huge extension, it’d be a big problem. If he opts out after next season, the Heat will get nothing in return (like when LeBron left). That would be a bigger problem. I don’t expect a huge haul for him, but think it’s reasonable to expect 1-2 rotation players plus 2 first rounders or 1 first rounder and 2 second rounders. These can be kept or parlayed into another trade possibly with Herro to bring in another solid starter. Zach Edey has some limitations but is huge and would give us a major presence in the paint. They may even be able to trade down as he is projected at around 20 (we pick 15). If a better big man is available, that’s okay too. I find the possibility of Edey, Bam, Jovic, Jaquez, Rozier very intriguing.

heat for life

i think jimmy likes the lifestyle down here,hes really into tennis.was supposedly dating coco gauff.i hope hes back next year . hes our best player.get him fkn help

Reality Czech

Hopefully he likes it somewhere else.

SunManFromDogBone

Jimmy was well paid during his time in Miami. He is owed nothing. Time to move on. All good things must pass. Good luck Jimmy!

Big_guy305

One first and 2 rounders ain’t good enough draft compensation when players like Mitchell and gobert getting 3 or 4 1st rounders with a couple of 2nd rounders. Only way I’m taking that deal is if a really good young player comes back in that package with a role player. I’ll use knicks as an example we would send over Jimmy ,herro and maybe a couple 2nds. Then we could get back 1 first, 2 2nds and julius randle and either hart or divincenzo. That trade would make us young enough and fixes 2 positions of need, we get a proven top 20-25 player who rebounds well , and hart or donte are both solid 2 way players that you plug at the 2 guard. If you feel randle is too injury prone. Then we can trade Jimmy and herro for 3 firsts and can potentially get back hartenstein,hart, and donte.

Reality Czech

I was being conservative. If we get more, I’m a happy camper.

Reality Czech

If I had a dollar for every time you wrote f u or he’s a no show or a scumbag or Father Time got to him or he’s not interested any longer or a slew of other knocks on him, I’d be able to buy a house in Hollywood Hills. Lol

heat for life

f u yes no show no scumbag no father time yes 50% right.what your gonna get for jim is 50cents on the dollar.why not try to add a piece or 2 around jim bam terry jjj jaime.there is such thing as free agency where u dont have to give up anything.basketball is all about now .guys change teams like i change underwear

Reality Czech

With the assets teams have been getting for players of similar or less talent, I think the Heat will do fine. As for free agency, I think you need to gain a better understanding of the salary cap limitations, first apron, second apron. It’s not like Steinbrenner’s Yankees where you can spend any amount of money you can afford.

Reality Czech

Many many many times you expressed how you couldn’t believe Butler took off for personal reasons or that didn’t seem to be playing very hard or that he was injured more often or out shooting commercials. ‘Where’s Jimmy? Is Jimmy hurt? I’ll take a screenshot next time you use those terms. It’s a moot point anyway. If they keep Butler and go through another season of not getting to the finals (or close), you’ll be the first one in line complaining endlessly.

SunManFromDogBone

I disagree. There will be teams this year who will know they missed out on going further in the playoffs because they didn’t have a veteran player like Jimmy. They will be willing to give up young talent and future assets in exchange for a chance to win now. What they have of value in exchange for Jimmy is the question. There may also be teams that have a player who is same position as Jimmy after 2024-2025 who wants to come to Miami (such as Mitchell?)

heat for life

if jimmy went to a any team in the nba that team is 20% better.a 50 win team becomes 60.if the heat lose jimmy we are 20% worse.a 45 win team is now 35.im not giving up on him.he needs better players around him down here.when he sees dudes like ty n dunc try to guard prob has to take antidepressants after the game

HHHFAN4Life

Lmao the heat these last 2 years are a playin team because your god Jimmy is a half assed player and since they (teammates) follow Jimmy lead guess what they do during the regular season? Look I’m so thankful for Jimmy for what he’s done for the heat but the expiration date is here and it’s done. Your doing all this coping instead of just letting it go, trade butler and Tyler for the right pieces and your right back in the game, especially in the eastern conference. The knicks are the 2nd seed with just grit grind and good coaching, get some players in Mia like that and like I mentioned there is no reason with a grit and grind type team with spo coaching they make noise in the East. Paying Jimmy an absurd amount for him to be a part time player sets this franchise back more than it would just trading him

Last edited 6 months ago by HHHFAN4Life
Reality Czech

⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️ THAT comment is spot on HHH.

SunManFromDogBone

AMEN! Pretty simple. Hey, you related to H4L or are you his alter-ego?

heat for life

u get rid of butler u better get a dam good replacement.the odds of getting an sga type player are very very small.if jjj and jovic are better next year with jim terry and bam u have a very good team still.why trade butler and help another team out.get them some help thru free agency and trading onewayers and an out of control player

SunManFromDogBone

It looks like Riley has some serious decisions to make this offseason.*
The only players under sure contracts beyond next season (2024-2025) are:
Bam, Herro, Rozier, Jovic and Jaquez.
Miami Heat Free Agents 2024 & 2025

2024

Caleb Martin (player option)
Thomas Bryant (player option)
Josh Richardson (player option)
Kevin Love (player option)
Haywood Highsmith (unrestricted)Delon Wright (unrestricted)
Patty Mills (unrestricted)
Cole Swider (restricted)Jamal Cain (restricted)
Alondes Williams (restricted)

2025

Jimmy Butler (player option)
Duncan Robinson (early termination)
Orlando Robinson (unrestricted)

*There will be some interesting free agents out there this summer, including: Valanciunas, Hartenstein, DeRozan, Anonoby, James, Siakim, (Miles) Bridges and others.

Last edited 6 months ago by SunManFromDogBone
ZechMerquise

cavs up now 2-0. if they go to 2nd rd, Donovan might stay there and we wont get him again smh

Reality Czech

True

ManilaHeat

But if Heat goes to finals again…
A fan could wish you know lol

Big_guy305

Not if he gets spanked again by the knicks ,whose missing Randle.

heat for life

knicks role players kicking ass wouldnt mind me a deuce mcbride

Big_guy305

Yes he’s a good young 3 and d prospect. Also got a lot good role players. The hart dynasty, og, divincenzo, bogdanovich.

ManilaHeat

Hope Bam gets the award. But stats favor the other two, sadly intangibles cnt be measured w/c Bam has tons of in defensive end.

Belacqua

We should be going after Valanciunas on the Pels. Slide Bam to the 4. F DPOY. Get our boy a chance at a chip

Big_guy305

Yes I brung that up before that up before, that would be a really good pickup, very good rebounder, and his career 3p percentage is 34.8 .

Reality Czech

I’m good with this as well.

SunManFromDogBone

Bam would be a great POWER FORWARD if he was playing next to a very good two-way CENTER! Miami can also use a very good two-way SG. Maybe Riley can work his magic this summer. He has Butler and Herro to work with.

Big_guy305

I agree with you, but unfortunately I don’t see Riley dealing butler next season, I think he will give him a pass because of injury, to see how he does next year in the playoffs. So he has herro or Duncan and Martin to work with and maybe draft either clingan or edey with our first pick or use pick in a trade.

Last edited 6 months ago by Big_guy305
SunManFromDogBone

2024-2025 is Butler’s last year under contract. 2025-2026 is a player option year. Like PJ, Crowder and others before him, he’s going to opt out and test the market and go where the money is best and media coverage is better (like New York Knicks with Tibs or Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers). If Riley doesn’t trade him this summer, it will be a major mistake! MAJOR!!!

Reality Czech

I’ve been saying the same thing. I’d like it to be amicable whereas they try to accommodate him by getting a list of teams he’d prefer to have a chance at a ring. As long as one of those teams offers the Heat a fair deal, it could be a win win. He’s not an injury prone player and this is not a major issue. He likely will just need time to recover, not surgery of any kind. He is still a very good 2 way player.

ZechMerquise

i can see jimmy agreeing into a sign and trade maybe to Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, or Houston. Then for us we go a mini on-the-fly rebuild

Big_guy305

I hope he trades him for a good package, we gotta at least get 3 firsts with some good young talent.

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