We are roughly two weeks removed from the conclusion of the 2025-26 Miami Heat season. Our player review series is back! Over the next several days, we will be reviewing how each Heat player performed throughout their campaign, beginning with the team’s captain, Bam Adebayo.
Brief Overview:
2025-26 stats (73 games):
- 20.1 PTS
- 10.0 REB
- 3.2 AST
- 1.2 STL
- 0.7 BLK
- 44.2 FG%
- 55.1 TS%
For the second straight season, Adebayo, 28, dealt with injuries that threw the first half of his season off kilter. He didn’t have any touch or confidence from the floor, limiting his numbers and effectiveness on both ends of the floor.
But over Adebayo’s final 42 games, he averaged 22.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals on 43.9 percent shooting and 31.8 percent from 3-point range. His field goal percentage was still down due to inconsistent touch, but his impact on both ends was consistently there.
The Heat still missed out on the postseason, but the captain reinforced the belief that he’s a franchise pillar, even though he’s still not a 1A scorer. He’s an anchor, capable of holding up the team’s defense because of his sharp scheme versatility and astute acumen.
Numbers to note:
21 – Seasons since a Miami Heat player averaged 20-10
Believe it or not, Adebayo has never had a season where he’s averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds (excluding rebounding). In fact, only two other players have in the franchise’s history, with Adebayo becoming the first in over two decades.
- Alonso Mourning (twice): 1995-96, 1998-99
- Shaquille O’Neal: 2004-05
- Bam Adebayo: 2025-26
Adebayo recorded 35 doubles, three fewer than last year and seven shy of tying his career high. Though 23 of those games were 20-point doubles (second-most in career) with four 20-15 games.
127 – Made 3-pointers this year
As his career has aged, Adebayo’s become more comfortable taking shots from 3-point range. This year, he hoisted 400 attempts from 3-point range, 179 more than last year, with 127 makes, 48 more than last year.
The 6-foot-9 big finished third on the team in made threes. He also finished fifth among centers league-wide, trailing only Naz Reid, Myles Turner, Onyeka Okongwu and Noah Clowney.
5.4 – On-Off differential on defense:
Even though he walked away without the Defensive Player of the Year award — he was never really close — he maintained status quo defensively as one of the league’s best. Even though the Heat’s defense collapsed over the last five weeks, Adebayo still finished in the 89th percentile in on-off differential on defense, according to Cleaning The Glass.
When he was on the floor, the Heat surrendered 112.5 points per 100 possessions (79th percentile) compared to 117.9 (38th percentile) when he was off. His 5.4 on-off differential defensively was a team-high and was his highest since 2021-22.
Best Game?
Wilt. Bam. Kobe.
Do we need to say anything else?!
What’s next?
Adebayo will be entering the first year of a three-year, $160 million extension he signed ahead of the 2024-25 season. The three-time All-Star has more than justified his worth with how much responsibility he has on both ends. But the Heat still need a true initiator (Kasparas Jakucionis!) with more functional size and point-of-attack defense to ease the burden off their star big.
***
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Did Riley ever do his end-of-season press conference? Did he just skip it this year? Has that ever happened before?
He did it earlier today.
lol. saw that a little while after i posted. i swear i had no idea. my riley senses were just tingling
send Bam here as an import! we’ll give an island to the Heat, maybe Boracay lol
it have to be a package deal with spobot
bams overrated.hes not a natural scorer.hes not smooth no low post game.def not a max player .look at rudy versus joker and little bam versus joker..size matters bams not a center.i ve been saying for a while wares ceiling is higher than bams.
You admit Bam isn’t a center. You should compare him to power fowards, not centers. With his two way abilities, I would rank him in top 5 in the NBA. Others may score more, but few PFs can match his defense and rebounding. The problem is that Spo has tried to mold him into a center/alpha team leader. Although he has made a valiant effort to be that player, he just isn’t.
Within 2 years, I see Bam and Ware as one of the most dynamic front court teams in the NBA. If you add a good third rotation player (an athletic, rebounding, defensive player with offensive potential), you have the front court covered. There are several back-up PF/C candidates in the 30-45 range of the second round. I’m sure there will also be PFs available for trade.
Next up, SF. A tall two-way combo SF/PF who can play either position well, would fit perfectly. There should be several SF/PF candidates in the 10-20 range of the NBA’s 2026 draft. Who knows, maybe Jovic will wake up from his nightmare, find his mojo and be able to reinvent himself as a legitimate combo SF/PF.
Davion Mitchell is a hard working two way PG. He can be part of a contending team as either a starter or coming off the bench. He’s not the top priority.
What Miami lacks is a good SG. Preferably an alpha/team leader. Neither Herro nor Powell fit the bill. Until/unless Herro is traded/replaced by a good/very good two-way SG or his contract expires, he will have to do.
2026-2027 is a good year for Miami to clear its books, regroup, develop its young players (existing and 2026 draft picks) and prepare for the 2027 draft and 2027-2028 season. The Heat should have plenty of cap space next season. If a great deal comes along, Miami will be in a position of stength to negotiate the best deal possible. It won’t be the team that is desperate to make the deal. It will be the other team.
By next summer, Miami should be in a position to go whale hunting. Donovan Mitchell’s contract expires in 2028 and he will become extension eligible in 2026-2027. If he would rather move on than stay, Miami might be a good landing spot for him. He and Bam are close friends.
Can’t wait to hear what Riley has to say tomorrow.
bam is not a c another problem with the family biz.ud has publically come out and stated that.didnt they watch him try to guard joker.he had no chance.3 inches taller maybe
Bam doesn’t match up well with Jokic and few centers do. But he holds his own against most. Most do know he is a natural pf, especially as his 3p shooting has improved.
Anybody still think the Celtics are in trouble?
when your second best player shooting under 30% your in trouble edgecombe has been so bad last 2 games
Yes, but you said something different after game 2. But you changing your mind is expected. Like your Bam comment above. Not long ago, you were saying what a great season he was having with great improvement. You also were the strongest advocate here for giving up anyone for KD. Now you’re glad we didn’t get him. We’re all human and make mistakes. I’ve made my share too.
he’s not hfl if he did’nt keep changing his mind…hehe, peace bro hfl 😁✌️
He keeps us guessing, for sure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8E_zMLCRNg
Excerpts from FANSIDED article April 25, 2026:
Heat fans will finally get the answers they deserve straight from the source
Pat Riley is set to speak.
“The ownership never speaks, and Riley is the only figure from the front office that does so (with the exception during the NBA Draft process).
No matter what narrative Riley tries to weave at this press conference, there’s no question that the fans will want to see at least one thing – urgency.
At this point, there are many fans who just want to see vision and direction from the front office. Right now, especially after this past season, it’s hard to pinpoint where exactly that lands for the Heat. But if Riley can deliver direction and urgency behind it, there are many Heat fans who will be back on board with where this franchise is headed.
Ahead of one of the bigger offseasons in recent history for the Heat, there’s no question that all eyes and ears will be on Riley on Monday. Fans will certainly want to know the message that will be delivered.”
Report: Pat Riley no longer final voice in Heat decisions(Excerpts from YARDBARKER article April 26, 2026)
…”According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, team president Pat Riley is no longer the final decision-maker when it comes to basketball operations.
In fact, as one version of the reporting has circulated: “He’s not even in charge.”
The final say, per Jackson and others who cover the team, belongs to CEO Nick Arison, the son of owner Micky Arison.
And it’s not a new development — it’s reportedly been the structure for years.
Riley, 80, remains team president and the public face of the franchise. His influence is still there. But internally, the hierarchy appears to be more layered, with input from coach Erik Spoelstra and GM Andy Elisburg as well.
Jackson even noted that multiple reporters have long described the same setup, suggesting this isn’t exactly breaking news — even if it’s gaining traction now.
If Nick Arison really is running the show, then he needs to be up on that podium at the end of the season, not Pat Riley.”
nick arison has final say on players that is so fd.up i dont buy that at all if thats the case this org is so fd up.
Between Arison, Elisburg and Spo, I don’t think they really need Riley. I initially thought he was kept around for his name recognition and to function as the front man to take the hit from the fans and media when the team produces mediocre results. Its a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Poor Pat.
I didn’t understand why Riley hadn’t retired until I looked up his income from the team. That sure opened my eyes.
I don’t think Riley is going anywhere until he’s good and ready to go or until his health prevents him from continuing.
I have mentioned that several times, though I didn’t think it was years. And there’s no doubt that what Riley says holds a lot of weight.
It should. He has a pretty good financial stake in the team (up to 20%). As of February 2026, the Miami Heat is estimated to be worth approximately $6.05 Billion, ranking it among the top 10 most valuable NBA franchises.
heat are a family biz no accountability .mickeys worried about going over the luxury tax gimme friggin break.how cheap is he
Excerpts from YARDBARKER article April 26,2026 entitled:
The Miami Heat can’t let the East playoff upsets fool them
…”Don’t forget that the Magic beat you all five times, and Orlando is giving Detroit trouble mostly because it can match the Pistons’ size and physicality, something you cannot do and need to seriously address, at every position. Don’t forget that Toronto embarrassed you every single time, winning by an average of 19 points in four meetings; so the fact that the Raptors have been competitive against Cleveland with that same length isn’t all that encouraging. And don’t forget what the Celtics did to you, sweeping the season series, and that you don’t have a V.J. Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey backcourt that has the quickness to exploit Boston’s only real weakness.
And don’t neglect the reality: while there are some nice pieces on this Heat roster, players who would fit snugly into a lot of good rotations and have some room to grow, the only Heat player who would start on every single current East playoff team is Bam Adebayo. And he wouldn’t be the consistent go-to offensive player on any of them, maybe leading Orlando or Toronto or Atlanta in scoring on occasion (the man did have an 83-point night) but that’s about it.”…
Trade him
For what/whom? Then what?
bams contract is a problem.theres at least 25 30 guys id take over him
Name 25 or 30 players you would take over him ?…. you on the clock ⏰️
banchero kat brunson tatum brown maxey cade duren haliburton lebron luka curry butler kawhi donovan ant randle sga wemby fox joker murray n greek flagg kd booker .what the f has bam ever done especially in the real season he piles up stats when it dont matter never there in crunch time.hes def the best player on our playin team.a #3 option.his main problem is in his head his mentality .your on the clock big
I’m not taking Randle, fox,butler too old and injury prone, same for kawhi, and kd, even even they’re better. Not taking Murray either, he ain’t a 2 way player. Not taking duren. Bron too old, not taking kat over bam.
OK. Name another 30.
what u think of fins draft speaking your on the clock
I gave them a B- some questionable pics and didn’t draft Bain from the U.
I’m disappointed about Bain. He’s so relentless and a UM kid. But it seems like a good draft overall.
Yes I felt the same he was there for the taking even after trading down, they will regret that .
this proctor is one gigantic man(to big for family biz)we’ll see how he handles speed rushers dont think your overpowering him.really disappointed though they didnt draft bain
which ones arent better theres a few u can dispute but most clearly better than our best player.the big guy has 5 minutes to select the ones that arent
Is there going to be an article speculating what Riley’s message(s) will be at tomorrow’s press conference. Is there no clue?
Several teams are on the upswing and others are expected to have improved (possibly play-in or playoff) seasons in 2026-2027..
if Miami is stagnant again this year, I can see Indiana, Milwaukee, Chicago and Washington giving them competition for the #10 spot. .500 may be difficult. May as well use the season to regroup and rebuild. Great time to focus on developing younger players and moving on from others in exchange for picks/players.
I’m curious to hear Riley’s spin on things now that it’s obvious to everyone his annual pie in the sky b.s. no longer works. To be continued…
im handing my duties over to the hardest working guy on hhh .he questions me every day on a website called hhh.ok big shot lets see u do a better job.heres the reins its all yours.gl im off to europe for a month.then asia.stop in canada.be back in august i do this every year btw
Bon voyage. From now to August? My blood pressure has already gone down. Peace for weeks! Wow! You should have access to Wi-Fi along the way, especially if you are back on Viking, so you can say hello.
no pat riley not me
Oh, I thought you had another European Viking coming up. So you’re not leaving? Damn! Thought I’d have some peace for a while.
Dream on.
the day the generals are better than the heat.will be a sad day in heat land.with all the last place finishes this clueless org has had over the years should have 5 wembys on it and to this day they still have 5 jovics on it
$$$$ been on 10 cruises .seen most of good cities in europe.sort of like seeing all the rockers u want to see in concert
If you go to Asia then, I can chip in.
When in Europe, better pretend to be a Canadian. For Asia that works too. I m not sure about Canada.
went to russia before it got unvisitable (st pete) boy they were nasty sobs the customs people.all other countries felt right at home in europe.love the old country of europejust beautiful over there vagi.was in kotor prettiest girls in the world over there
Canadians gets all discounts available, and Americans double prices nowadays. So it would be good for your wallet.
Those Montenegro girls ( the blonde ones with green eyes) are gorgeous, true, but in Montenegro coastal area you can find a lot of Russians. So you probably see more Russian ladies then native girls.
No Russian custom people there, of course, those are going in Siberia on vacations, which is why they are nasty sobs.
this was the area by the old part of city.my wife and i were blown away by the beauty of these ladies,not tradional brown eyed brown hair or blonde blue eyers kind of a mix.strikingly gorgeous,one after the other we were sitting on a bench where the tour bus was parked watching them walk by
In Montenegro, in most cities you still have promenades, where people are walking up and down, talking, drinking and having fun, deep in the night. You probably saw something like that.