The Miami Heat have had the most eventful uneventful offseason in the history of NBA offseasons. While that may not factually exactly be the case, it sure feels like it.
Linked to nearly every star player that has seemingly been made available or might come available, the Miami Heat have sat in wait for the right moment to pounce on a deal for whoever that guy may be. However, that hasn’t happened as of yet.
While there could be many reasons for the lack of progress, as so deemed by a trade if you see it that way, there is one that sticks out above others. Specifically in reference to landing Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, though it could be the case in any potential deal, the Miami Heat don’t even want to consider moving Bam Adebayo.
For what it’s worth, that seems like the correct decision as well.
Though the Miami Heat haven’t been able to grab a star off the market, the ones they have want to be there. And in Bam Adebayo’s case, he means forever.
But even deeper than “not moving” him, Adebayo recently let it be known that he not only wants to still be in Miami now but for the rest of his career—just like Udonis Haslem.
"“If I could, I would,” Adebayo said via the Miami Herald. “Just to have that opportunity to be around this community for my whole career. A lot of the community has seen me grow up. Going from a random 14th draft pick to being a cornerstone in this organization and to become something bigger. It’s just one of those things that’s dope when people grow with you.”"
Adebayo is a very good player, more than solid but less than a superstar at the moment. He has all the gifts on the floor and actual game to get there, but he has to tap into an offensive aggressiveness and want to that he hasn’t shown as of yet.
Again, the man has all the ability and game to do anything he wants to out there on the hardwood, he just has to actually commit himself to do it on a game-in and game-out basis. Perhaps the Miami Heat wanted to solidify what they see as their window with Jimmy Butler by adding another high-level talent.
To be fair about it all, that window is still three or four years long, at least, as Butler is just hitting the peak of his powers. But no matter how powerful Jimmy Butler can be or has shown to be over the past couple of seasons, he still needs a true and consistent number two.
Adebayo can and should be that. While he should be anyway, if he can find that next gear, he’ll certainly be in Miami for as long as he plays in the NBA.