Miami Heat: Young core stays intact with Bam Adebayo

The Miami Heat are focused on the future with their young core, utilizing their team option to retain Bam Adebayo.

With NBA training camps beginning later this month, the Miami Heat wasted no time retaining Bam Adebayo’s contract.

However, the initial October 15 deadline should still very much be on Heat fans’ minds, as it’s the date that the organization has to extend Justise Winslow’s contract by.

And depending on what the Heat decide to do with Winslow, the move could certainly illustrate where the team stands in regards to the future.

For now though, it seems like president Pat Riley is in favor of keeping this young core together. In the Heat Culture, you have to earn your keeps, which is exactly what Adebayo ended up doing in his rookie season.

The No.14 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft appeared in 69 games last season, including 19 starts. The rookie made the most of it too, averaging 6.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 19.8 minutes per game, all while playing behind Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk.

In other words, letting go of Adebayo would have been a huge pick up for any team.

Seven double-doubles were just a small glimpse of his first-year highlights. For example, it’s hard to forget his 19-point performance on a perfect seven-of-seven shooting from the field and five-of-five from the free throw line, against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road, on November 28.

The most significant part of the Heat picking up their option this year is that they will have the same rights next summer, for 2020-21. This of course could get tricky, with the Heat looking to free up some cap space during that time for a potential free agent.

This next season could play out huge for Adebayo. He could potentially raise his stock for another team to pick up, or on the flip side, he could be playing for a more secure roster spot with the Heat.

In any case, Miami exercising their team option is just the beginning for Adebayo. Now, his goal will just have to be to continue his Heat Culture mentality, and keep earning his dues.