As inconsistent as the Miami Heat’s season has been, it has been the same story for Bam Adebayo’s individual season. The big man was poised for his greatest career yet, following a 2023-24 campaign that had him earn his third All-Star nod.
He also took home a first team All-Defensive honor, along with playing a key bench role on this past summer’s Team USA gold medal squad. His brand was at an all-time high and seemed to finally be getting that national recognition that the fans have been craving for years.
However, Adebayo’s 2024-25 season has had some different results— at least from an offensive standpoint. He is currently averaging 16.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists on 45.6% shooting and 28.3% from 3-point range. He has also added 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks per game along with 72% from the free throw line.
The steals is good for a career-best, as Adebayo has continued to be the elite defensive anchor that Heat fans are accustomed to seeing. But there has been some clear concerns with his offensive growth, with his former teammate and predecessor captain of the franchise in Udonis Haslem has acknowledged his struggles.
https://x.com/hothothoops/status/1879945452835234248?s=46&t=70KMxl0CSvAS2niDn8R-TQ
It is very clear that Adebayo is a pillar to the Heat franchise both on and off the court. As a team captain and leader, there will be no better fit for that role than himself on this roster.
The offensive regression has been a real thing, and the numbers say so. His 16-point average is his lowest since the 2019-20 season. The field goal percentage and free throw efficiency is indeed the worst of his career.
As Adebayo made it a point heading into the season to work on his outside shooting, and made strides last year, he has now taken a step back in that department. The nearly 28% from 3-point range currently has dipped from his career-high 36% a year prior.
Adebayo’s versatility will always be one of Miami’s biggest strengths to the team. But with Jimmy Butler’s inevitable departure looming, his offense will be under the microscope more than it ever has moving forward.
Can the All-Star bounce back from his up and down performances?
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A lot of talk going around of Portis and Middleton for Butler (with Connaughton to Detroit or somewhere to make the numbers work). The Heat would also get a pick. I know Middleton is past his prime, but he’s still a decent player. Portis would definitely help with the pf position. Both could be traded at some point as after this season, both will be on expiring contracts.
Middleton may help if he can stay healthy. Portis (6’10” 250 lbs) would definitely help by rotating with Bam and Ware. (Bam + Ware, Bam + Portis, Ware + Portis). That’s a pretty good front line. I favored this trade when it first came up.
I would then use the Milwaukee pick to package with Robinson for another rotation player such as Kuzma, Collins, etc. Burks can be the team’s sharp shooter off the bench this year and for the next couple of years (at a much lower cost).
dunc is untradeable burks is def better .portis and middleton thats a good haul for a guy with a shelf life of a year or two,jimmys best moments were vs the bucks few years ago in playoffs but that player no longer exists
I like them both. As Bucks too, I m sure of that.
I don’t think that they will make such a trade.
bam is def overrated .u can win with bam being 4th best player,when hes your 2nd best player your fd
UD is just honest. Bam shouldn’t be on that list this year.
Bam is not happy playing center going up against taller/players. He wants to play power forward, his natural position. Riley needs to trade for another center to hold down the starting position, while rotating with a developing Ware. Someone like Vucevic would be ideal. He’s on a two-year contract. The first year he can start and Ware can off the bench. The Heat can decide during the second year whether to extend Vuc another year or two beyond 2026.
The Heat also needs a starting caliber pass-first, two-way point guard. Someone like Dru Smith, maybe Isaiah Stevens.
No for Vuc.
I watched him a lot when he was in Chicago and Goran played there.
Its a player which put on good numbers but his team is loosing.
We already have Love, which is similar type of player, better shooter from distance and probably better defensive player. Vucevic is a master of midrange and around the rim game.
You need to do better research Vagi.
Bam: 15.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 4.6 apg, 45.6 FG%, 28.3 3 point %, in 34.0 mpg
Love: 6.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 35.4 FG%, 36.9 3 point %, in 11.6 mpg
Vuc: 20.6 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 56.1 FG%, 42.0 3 point %, in 32.o mpg
spobots never gonna play bam at the 4 sun.ud has publicly come out and said bams a pf.hes one stubborn guy spobot.like u mentioned we have no pg.whos guarding the real good quick pgs on this team
I think spo will eventually pair bam with ware, but the problem with spo is he’s an old school coach, so he will make young players earn their minutes. Also spo notoriously loves spacing…but here is the quandary ware is shooting 43 percent from 3 but on only 1.2 attempts per game on a small sample size. So I think spo wants him to show more consistency with that aspect in his game before starting him. Lastly bam wasn’t starting either when he was a rookie. So I think ware will be starting next season…hopefully. although he might get a few spot starts, if bam gets hurt.
Agreed, vuce is having a career year from 3, also I’ll take his D over love cuz he’s younger, also more length, and girth to help among big body trees. Lastly spo will get his D a lil better, both Kelly o and Myers played there best D of their careers in miami.
Excellent example.
Looking this stats, Bam is by far the worst player of those three.
One coach once said, that there are players, which brings a lot to the table, but at the same time take even more from the table.
That’s a great definition of what Vucevic is. The same type of player as Hassan at late stage of his career in Miami. Lavine, Anthony, Beard, Westbrook are the same type of players too.
maybe the players around him have something to do with losing .when he played with orlando he would eat bam up.
Well, he has a long career in NBA, being 2 times all star, but only twice made a play off, and never made it even close to second round.
You cant be that unlucky with your teamates that long. It must be something wrong with you to not going anywhere that long.
Even most of bums playing in Miami, like Dunc for example, have seen NBA finals twice, and east finals three times.
did vuc have prime jimmy running with him,vuc is on bams level better offensively just not as athletic as bam to defend,hes going somewhere hope its to south beach
He had DeRozan and LaVine in Chicago, both all stars.
With two all stars playing with him he made one play off, and been swept in first round.
With taking into account the rest of resume, there is a good reason to believe that he is not as good player as number shows.
What why I should argue, Riley and Spo knows very well, what kind of player he is.
so hes one of those guys puts up #s but hard to win with theres bunch of those in nba james trae
Bro basketball is a team sport. Also lavine ,derozan, and vuce are 1 way players. You can’t have 3 in starting lineup, and expect to go places. You gotta have a good supporting cast, also both ball, and lavine are injury prone. That coach is overrated living off his Florida college coaching days, and the bulls front office is dysfunctional, even there fans think so. Last time bulls was consistently good was when thibs was there. Even anything you should of picked a better team, instead of chasing the most money. Also Orlando before the last 2 years was perpetually rebuilding. What is different now is they got better coaching and a better FO. Just because you get 3 former all stars on a team doesn’t mean it will work. They have to fit around each other’s defiencies, gotta have a good coach, good front office, and decent supporting cast.
id like to see stevens run the offense looks like true pg.need somebody to stop maxey brunson
Stevens D isn’t as good as dru Smith, so he ain’t stopping Maxey, or Brunson, leave those assignments for locksmith. I’ll tell you what tho Stevens might get more assists then them, since he is pure pg, which is an endangered species in the nba.