All offseason, many Miami Heat critics have said that there will be no spacing with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo on the floor together. It's a great point, unfortunately...if you've never watched the Heat play basketball in your life.
But for those who have watched the team under head coach Erik Spoelstra, this is not a huge worry at all. The Heat have had "weak" offenses that have featured two non-shooters in their starting 5 for years during the Jimmy Butler era. And we all say Spoelstra found a way to lead two of those teams to the NBA Finals.
Giannis' greatness will find a way to work with Bam despite the questions
There's an argument to be made that those offenses just didn't have enough firepower when it mattered most. Fair enough. However, there's one big difference this time around. The difference is that Jimmy was a perennial All-Star who could occasionally play like a superstar. Well, Giannis is one of the 20 best basketball players ever. And you can argue that Giannis is one more championship away from inserting himself into those top-10 of all-time conversations.
Let's also not forget that Bam's offensive is much more developed now than it was in those early years with Jimmy, too.
Just for context, Bam shot 35 percent from the 3-point range on five attempts during the 2024-25 NBA season. If he can get back to that pace and efficiency, that will completely change the offensive outlook in this first season with Giannis.
Comparably, Giannis has very little hope of developing an improved jump-shooting game. But he can be an effective playmaker in a way that many people his size can't, and that alone is going to make life on the offensive end a lot easier for everyone around him.
Another thing is, spacing isn't just about how well you shoot; it's about how the team runs their offense. The Heat aren't going to be placing Bam Adebayo and Giannis both in the dunker spot and praying that Andrew Wiggins bails them out. Both Giannis and Bam have some level of ball-handling and playmaking ability, and their presences on the court can create open shots for their teammates (especially Giannis).
While the Heat did not use many screens last year, I would expect a lot of Bam/Giannis pick-and-rolls. Both can handle, get physical, and finish over defenders or get the ball to open shooters. If Bam and Giannis were both slow-footed, bad passers, and not even willing to take jumpshots at all, I'd be incredibly worried. That is nowhere near the case.
Giannis and Bam are too talented and too versatile to not figure it out. While there could be some uncertainty early, they have the shooters, an elite coach, and a full 82-game season to find the right formula.
Add us as a preferred source on Google