The Miami Heat are currently operating without two of their best players in Bam Adebayo (toe) and Tyler Herro (foot).
Herro hasn’t appeared in a game all season, while Adebayo has missed each of the last five games. Adebayo’s expected to return sooner, but both offered injury updates after Sunday’s practice.
“It felt great being out there with my teammates and being on court with them for the first time all season,” Herro said. “It felt great to be in the drills. My foot is getting better. I’ve been rehabbing around the clock, every day since my surgery.
“I’m trying to get back as soon as I can. I’m looking at about a week or two, hopefully, barring those setbacks.”
Herro underwent foot surgery in September with an 8-to-12-week timeline. Adebayo injured his toe in the first half of a Nov. 5 meeting against the Denver Nuggets, and his absence has compromised an already-thin Heat frontcourt.
“Obviously, [the training staff is] trying to protect me from myself,” Adebayo said. “But it felt good to just be out there. The comradery, just being around the fellas again. Even though it doesn’t look as distant as it is … it’s a big difference being out there than being on the sideline.”
In eight games, Adebayo’s averaging 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, though the latter statistic hasn’t done him enough justice, given how impactful he on the (defensive) glass.
Adebayo added he would “talk to the training staff” to determine his availability Monday against the New York Knicks, the second of two straight against their East rival.
Both players have been missed at different points this season. Norman Powell has filled in amicably in Herro’s absence, posting a team-best 26.1 points per game, while Kel’el Ware has provided brief flashes behind Adebayo. But both buoy the team’s outlook in different ways.
It’s encouraging that both are trending in the right direction. Miami takes the court against New York Monday at 7:30 p.m. EST before a highly anticipated bout on Wednesday against Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors.
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
- Heat star reinforces belief that Kel’el Ware will be ‘great’
- Bam Adebayo reveals that LaMelo Ball didn’t apologize about tripping incident
- Bam Adebayo receives one vote for coveted award
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. named finalist for Sixth Man of the Year award
- Heat will have 13th best lottery odds ahead of 2026 NBA Draft
- How this Heat rookie ‘surprised’ many in organization
- Why this two-man combination was ‘challenging’ for Heat
If they can keep their heads above water until both Bam and Herro are back, that will be a good thing. Then they will have until trade deadline to see where the team is at and in what direction they want to go.
Despite his age, Powell is a keeper at 3/$77M. If not, he will be worth a small haul of assets in a trade.
Wiggins may also be a keeper if he is willing to sign a team friendly contract. Again, if Miami does not plan to re-sign him, they could get a nice little haul in a trade.
I forgot Wiggins has a player’s option next year. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, Miami decides to do with him before the deadline. Otherwise, he can decline the option and become a free agent (ala Robinson). Then Miami will be in a position that it has to take what it can get.
I believe that’s the plan. Play it out till new year, maybe pick up a free agent in mid December as an insurance in front court rotation, and wait for a whale or a good front rotation player to become available.
As it stands today, till February I can see players like Zion, Ja, Davis, Kawhi, Irving, Sabonis, Beard would be available. I m not saying any of those should come to Miami, but in those trades a lot of other good players can be traded too.
I believe the starting unit will be Herro, Powell, Wiggins, Bam and Ware with a solid group of rotation players behind them.
All things considered, I think all this team needs is to stay healthy and bring in a strong, athletic, rebounding, defensive-minded PF or small C type. His rebounding and defense will be his priority. Scoring will not be as important. since he will be surrounded by players who can score (e.g., Mitchell, Larsson, Jaquez, Fontecchio, etc.).
Before considering trades, Riley needs to know what he has. If Herro quickly adjusts to the new system and players, the Heat could be very entertaining the rest of the season and very dangerous in the playoffs.
Whatever Riley decides to do, the last thing he should do is pursue veterans with high salaries, health issues and baggage. The team doesn’t need another high priced, self-centered, prima donna. Been there…done that.
Agree. Young or mid age power forward or C would be great..
If you could take one out of that list of players, who would it be?
Sabonis, or maybe Irving.
bam might play tomorrow wow thats great news