Less than a month ago, it would have been hard for any basketball fan to say with confidence that the Miami Heat would be within three games of the Conference Finals. Yet, with two East Semi-Finals games already in the books, the Heat are still alive with a real chance to win the title.
Thanks mostly to Jimmy Butler, the Heat have found success this season, but their miracle run may not be enough to keep the team intact. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, a potential trade for Bam Adebayo is still on the table for this team, and they may consider moving on from him completely if the price is right.
“The notion of trading Adebayo cannot be entirely ruled out,” wrote Jackson. “During a conversation with the Miami Herald before Adebayo’s All-Star appearance, Heat president Pat Riley made clear he viewed Adebayo as a foundational piece, noting “a franchise always is built around players who have stayed here forever” and suggesting he viewed Adebayo in that way. But Adebayo’s scoring and rebounding have dropped since the All-Star break, and his numbers are down further in the playoffs; his scoring is down from 20.4 per game during the regular season to 16.9 in the postseason, and his rebounding averages are down from 9.2 to 8.4.”
Bam has always been viewed as a secondary star and the on-court partner to Jimmy Butler. And while the Heat have had some astounding success in the playoffs so far, Bam has yet to step up as the difference maker we know he can be.
And as Butler proves that he ranks right up there with some of the best players in the world, the pressure for Bam to perform and live up to expectations only heightens.
Heat Are Displeased With Adebayo’s Inconsistency
The rumors regarding Adebayo aren’t new. Since last season, there have been questions about his status as an All-Star, as his production has seen some major fluctuations.
“I think there is some frustration from the team that he doesn’t bring that aggressiveness every night. If he is the best player and Jimmy Butler is the No. 2 option and Tyler Herro No. 3, that is a lot better team than when Bam lets himself be the third option,” an Eastern Executive told Heavy Sports.
Talent-wise, Adebayo is one of the most complete bigs in basketball, and the Heat are hard to beat when he’s at his best. But for a team that values consistency and reliability, Bam has come in short in some regards.
Hopefully, he can start to change that perception by stepping up when his team needs him most.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
