Miami Heat superstar Bam Adebayo was once presented as one of the players on the Golden State Warriors’ radar in the offseason. While these were only rumors and no trade took place, a report by ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel suggested that the link between the two may still be present.
Siegel drew parallels between the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries’ plan to pursue A’ja Wilson and the Warriors’ interest in Bam Adebayo, stating:
“A’ja Wilson, a four-time WNBA MVP, will be a key free agent target for Lacob and the Valkyries, sources said. Why would this matter for the Warriors? Well, Wilson and Adebayo have been together for years. These two becoming the faces of both Golden State franchises is certainly something to monitor.”
Siegel’s report paints an interesting outlook for both Bam Adebayo and the Warriors, one that fans would undoubtedly be excited about. On that note, however, Heat insider Brendan Tobin logically debunked why such a trade rumor may not amount to much, sharing:
“We saw this with Jimmy Butler last year when Jimmy Butler did not want to play with the Heat… They were basically 2-3 guys on the team who still messed with Jimmy. It was basically Kevin Love… Terry Rozier and Nikola Jovic. That was kind of the list. Everybody else was pretty pissed at Jimmy and felt disappointed.”
Tobin’s approach to the rumor certainly seems to have more basis in reality. Jimmy Butler‘s trade from the Heat was a rather controversial affair, one that left a bad taste in the mouths of his former Heat teammates.
Although the two sides maintain a cordial relationship, Tobin suggests that it would be highly unlikely for Bam Adebayo to be interested in teaming up with Jimmy Butler again.
But does Tobin’s claim mark the end of the Warriors’ interest in Bam Adebayo?
Not necessarily.
The Golden State Warriors have seen many players sidelined with injuries this season, and Jimmy Butler happens to be among their most noteworthy ones.
After tearing his ACL, coincidentally during a game against the Miami Heat, Butler was ruled out for the remainder of the season. Although he has undergone surgery to address the injury, it is apparent that he won’t be returning soon.
Following Butler being sidelined, several reports coming out of the Bay Area suggested that Golden State would actively be looking to offload the forward’s contract in an attempt to keep their title hopes alive. Although the team failed to do so before the trade deadline, there is no reason to believe they won’t be active in the offseason.
Although his averages of 18.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game this season may not leap off the page, Bam Adebayo has positioned himself as an impactful player. Thus, the offseason may be an opportunity for the Warriors to rekindle trade interest in Adebayo, who remains one of the best two-way players in the league.
With the potential to become the new face of the Warriors’ franchise, the Heat star may also see some intrigue in engaging in discussions involving a move. Still, given Miami’s commitment to retaining him, it would be a challenge to facilitate a move.
