The deadline to extend players before the negotiation window slams shut came and went last night, with various players around the NBA getting extensions on their existing contracts. Bam Adebayo wasn’t one of them despite being eligible but for a very good reason.
Without an All-NBA appearance, Adebayo isn’t the supermax eligible and is betting on himself to reach that level this season.
“Bam Adebayo also had an extension deadline today like Giannis. The difference is Bam has not reached Supermax criteria, and therefore, unlike Giannis, benefits by waiting until next summer.”
Bam Adebayo also had an extension deadline today like Giannis. The difference is Bam has not reached Supermax criteria, and therefore, unlike Giannis, benefits by waiting until next summer.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) October 23, 2023
Adebayo averaged 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists last season, but the Heat were a play-in team, which didn’t get him much love for All-NBA. However, the playoffs have highlighted his value to the Heat.
With positionless All-NBA teams making their debut this season, Adebayo is taking a big bet on himself by wanting to be outright one of the top 15 players in the NBA.
How Much Money Can Bam Adebayo Make?
If Adebayo waits and hits All-NBA status next season, the Heat could be on the hook for a five-year, $334 million extension for their center. Given he’s still just 27 years old, Adebayo is entering his prime, so he’ll be expecting a payday like that.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had said earlier in the offseason that he was going to wait till next season before signing a contract extension because he could be entitled to more, given the salary cap increases that hit every season. That would apply to Adebayo as well, along with the fact that he needs All-NBA to become supermax eligible, which Giannis, anyway was. He extended to give assurance to the Bucks that they didn’t trade away most of their assets for Damian Lillard with three years on his contract just to leave in the summer of 2025.
The Heat will not want Adebayo to be the player teams that were focusing on Giannis start looking at for the 2025 free agency class. So, the offseason of 2024 will show us if Adebayo can get his hands on that supermax he wants or if he falls short and agrees on a regular max contract.
He could try betting on himself for the 24/25 season as well, but then he’d enter free agency and not have any guarantee on what he gets on the market. If it all works out, Adebayo could sign a contract that could have a total value of $350 million or more in the summer of 2025, but waiting until that late could be risky.
Bam Adebayo Motivated To Return To The NBA Finals
Jimmy Butler made bold promises on media day, claiming the Heat would return to the Finals even after an offseason where they missed on both Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal.
Bam Adebayo co-signed what Butler said with an emphatic statement about how they can always break through barriers.
“What we did in the last four years, with people saying, ‘That duo can’t get it done,’ ‘The duo is not this,’ ‘They’re not entertaining,’ whatever the case may be. We win at the end of the day. Y’all might not like it, we don’t care. We win. You give us a 3% chance and we constantly break those barriers every time. When one door closes, we just run straight through.”
The Heat will have to work really hard to find a home at the top of the East, with a showdown between the Bucks and Celtics widely expected. But if there’s any team that can stop that from happening, it’s possibly playoff Jimmy and 20+ points per game Adebayo.
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.
