Heat center Bam Adebayo plans to be more aggressive in looking for shots next season, according to Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Responding to a recent call from team president Pat Riley to take a greater role in the offense, Adebayo appeared on a radio broadcast during a Summer League game and said he’s ready for that challenge.
“They call me ‘No Ceiling’ for a reason,” Adebayo said. “Just being a more efficient scorer. I feel like my shot attempts are going to go up. The guys want the ball in my hands. They want me to score more. My job is really easy this summer.”
Adebayo averaged career highs with 19.1 points and 13 shots per game last season while finishing fourth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, but Riley believes there’s another level he can reach. The long-time executive wants him to become more consistent in creating his own shots, and Chiang and Jackson note that Adebayo’s shot totals fluctuated wildly during the Eastern Conference Finals.
Adebayo also discussed the Heat’s offseason moves, saying that keeping continuity on the roster will provide the best chance to chase another title.
“It’s mandatory to get back to where we were and have a different result,” Adebayo said. “It haunts you. Because you get that close to something, one shot away and you look at the game, there were so many moments where we could have taken advantage of the game.”
There’s more on the Heat:
- Udonis Haslem lashed out at critics who say he doesn’t deserve a roster spot, Chiang and Jackson add in the same story. Haslem, 41, hasn’t played much during the past six seasons, but he claims his work with young players makes it worthwhile to keep him on the team. “People don’t know we have the most undrafted people in the NBA in our team,” Haslem said on Duncan Robinson‘s podcast. “There is something going on here people, but you dumb [expletives] can’t understand. You are so focused on my age and why I’m here. There’s a reason why I’m [expletive] here. Look at Caleb Martin. Caleb Martin just got paid.”
- Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune confirms that Miami made an offer for Donovan Mitchell that the Jazz considered “insufficient.” The Heat don’t have the draft assets to compete with the Knicks, Larsen notes, with only their 2023, 2027 and 2029 first-rounders available, plus pick swaps in other years. The Jazz and Heat agreed that a third team would likely be needed to get a deal done, according to Larsen.
- Orlando Robinson was disappointed to be passed over on draft night, but he’s grateful for the opportunity he’s getting with Miami on an Exhibit 10 contract, Chiang writes in a separate story.
This team will only go as far as Bam takes them. Hope his jumper continues to develop.
Hey gets a turnaround, drop step, bank shot inside, he’ll be killer. He play face to basket but I’d like him to play more back to basket
Heat don’t have assets to acquire any new young all stars
Without a good trade, Heat are 4th best in East
They made it to the ECF which means they are second best in the East.
Realistically the top three teams in the East are Milwaukee, Boston and Miami are very closely matched. I’d put Philly in the next tier. Then I’d put Toronto, Atlanta and Chicago with Cleveland rounding out the top 8. Honestly though all 8 of those teams are good enough to beat each other in a best of 7. We also don’t quite know what Brooklyn or New York will look like yet.
Wrong friend , Bucks Celtics Sixers Heat.
If Bam simply shows up every game they could be the best team in the league.
He shows up but what lacks is his confidence on offense/coaching giving him the green light.
Bam is a little man playing the 5 friend.
Little man? He finished 4th in DPOY at the position. Would hardly call him “little”
Small,undersized, can’t handle a legit big man.
Did you watch how he contained Embiid and denied him the ball at all?
Would like to.see Bam at the 4
Haslam makes it sound like he’s doing the work of a coach essentially
What advantage do they have keeping him a player vs moving him on to coaching status? I guess I am one of those dumb [expletive] who does not understand why he wouldn’t want an additional undrafted player on the roster who has upside to his future.
It makes no sense. but you know…Heat Culture and all that.
Some players tend to take advice and coaching better from a person who is in the position of peer instead of coach.
Huh?
Haslem really is an a-hole.
I’d rather have Haslem on a minimum deal than NOladipo at $11M
I mean, you could choose neither.
That’s just NOnsense.
Every year, every time all these people repeat the same trash. UD held back here. He should have said more
Bam just needs to be more willing in certain situations to either make a quicker move or take a shot without hesitation. He sometimes does what Draymond Green was doing where he doesnt look at the rim and telegraphs passes, which Draymond finally fixed after it cost them back to back playin games last year. I have no worries about Bam. If he take that jumpshot more often, he is good enough to make that shot, and if he even starts taking corner 3s, that makes him that much more valuable, and would actually go a long way in helping them be even better, even though that isnt the biggest issue for the Heat at all.
They have more things to worry about, and that being who they get to play the 4 spot
Haslems argument rally makes no sense there’s head coaches his age he isn’t capable of playing in the NBA why doesn’t he become what he really is which is a player coach and he’ll get a head coaching job by 2030 instead of pretending he is an NBA player…
Haslem got to go. Stop wasting a roster stop. You’re not helping on the court when the heat needs someone