The 2024-25 NBA season did not end well for the Miami Heat as the club was thrashed out of the playoffs in a four-game sweep. In the wake of the Jimmy Butler trade, Miami looked lost, and even the most casual of fans knew it was not a cohesive unit.
The hope is that with an offseason to gel, Miami can climb back up the ranks, and star Bam Adebayo admitted there were problems by the end of the 2025 season.
Bam Adebayo admits Miami's biggest issue from last season
Appearing at his basketball clinic, Adebayo admitted the difficulties of trying to fit in a bunch of new players into the Heat system in such a short time following the Butler trade:
"We were kind of disconnected a little bit trying to figure out everybody's role and trying to figure out everybody's style of play. But now we're going to have a good training camp and then we go from there."
Miami lacked a true ball handler and had a tough time establishing any rhythm on offense. Among the very real problems Miami had was its inability to get to the rim and draw contact.
Miami was in the top half of the NBA in November and December in free throws attempted, but those numbers plummeted in the back half of the season, and the Heat finished 27th in their metric.
But one bright spot the Heat did get from the trades was Davion Mitchell. During his 30 games with Miami last year, he showed flashes of his 2021-22 rookie campaign with Sacramento.
In addition to the fact that Mitchell averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 assists over those 30 games, Adebayo touched on the value Mitchell brings on the defensive end:
"Davion being back, obviously, we've been missing somebody that can really play on-ball defense. And having him come in and be that guy and understand his role, I'm looking forward to him being here for a full year and all of us being together and getting to know one another and turning this into more of a brotherhood."
The overall roster construction for Miami isn't one that is going to scare people just yet. But it is a young core that seems to have guys who can fill each role.
If Adebayo's words come true and this squad is able to gel this offseason, Miami might surprise a team or two during the 2025-26 campaign.