It is no secret that the whole Jimmy Butler situation did quite a bit of damage to the Miami Heat's season as they attempted to block out the noise and win basketball games. The Heat are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season, and it is hard to say that the distraction from the whole Butler saga did not have any impact on this team's performance.
Of course, the most immediate question that came about after Jimmy left Miami and the dust settled was this: Where do the Heat go from here? From the outset, there were plenty of questions about their offensive identity and who would step up as the leaders of this team going forward. Now, we are beginning to get some answers.
With the regular season winding down, we have seen a lot of positive signs from Bam Adebayo when it comes to offensive production. Miami's starting center has asserted himself as a scorer over the last couple of months and is averaging 21.2 points per game since Jan. 27. This is an extremely encouraging sign for this team moving forward.
Adebayo is averaging 21.2 points since the end of January
Knowing his team needed him to take a step up following the trade, Adebayo's production since right around the deadline is a big step toward answering those big-picture questions surrounding the Heat. With he and Tyler Herro both scoring at a high level, Miami has the building blocks to be successful going forward.
Now, the question becomes who can Miami find to be that final piece to really bring their offense together. They will likely need either a third All-Star level talent to put alongside Herro and Adebayo, or they'll want a true All-NBA level scorer that can lead the way. Of course, getting such a player is always easier said than done.
But with that in mind, the Heat have more of the means to make such an acquisition now than they did in the past. They finally have enough future draft capital, along with two expiring contracts for 2025-26 in Terry Rozier and Duncan Robinson, and some tradeable young talent that can help them achieve that goal.
In the meantime, Adebayo's continued progression should give fans in Miami hope. The Jimmy Butler debacle is over and done with, and it's time for the Heat to begin what could be a promising new era.