Adebayo and Herro leaning on each other to help lead Heat into postseason after ‘tough transition'

Miami Herald

15-04-2025

It has been a challenging season for the Miami Heat. From the ugly Jimmy Butler saga to a 10-game losing skid to the team's worst regular-season record in a decade, a lot has gone wrong for the Heat this season.
But at least one thing has gone right for the Heat: Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro have been available more often than any other leading duo in the league, providing stability amid an otherwise turbulent season.
With Herro (2,725 minutes) ranked eighth and Adebayo (2,673 minutes) ranked 12th in the NBA in total minutes played this regular season, the only other teammates who finished the regular season among the top 12 on this list is the New York Knicks trio of Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby.
'It has been important,' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Adebayo and Herro's availability this season. 'It was also something they both wanted to do. Be available, be there for the team and I think that's allowed us to be able to handle some of the things that we've been able to handle. Even though it hasn't obviously been exactly how we wanted it to go, it definitely could have looked different.'
Adebayo and Herro now face a different challenge, beginning a postseason without Butler by their side.
After making it to the Eastern Conference finals three times and NBA Finals two times during Butler's five full seasons with the Heat before he was traded to the Golden State Warriors in February, the Eastern Conference's 10th-place Heat opens this postseason in a win-or-go-home play-in tournament game against the ninth-place Chicago Bulls on Wednesday at United Center (7:30 p.m., ESPN).
'It's just important for the team to hear our voice, to see us,' Adebayo said of his partnership with Herro. 'Obviously, we have a lot more responsibility than others. But that's the thing, we got a lot more responsibility at this time, trying to get [Andrew Wiggins] acclimated after the stuff we went through the first half of the season. It's good for us. It's teaching us to lead, it's teaching us how to be the two men in front no matter what that looks like. Points, rebounds, whatever it is, trying our best to impact winning. Then as we grow, we're starting to figure this out.'
As the East's 10th-place team, the Heat will need to win two consecutive road play-in games just to qualify for the playoffs as the conference's No. 8 seed and clinch a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Heat-Bulls winner advances to take on the loser of Tuesday night's play-in game between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks on Friday in either Orlando or Atlanta, with the victor of Friday's contest earning the conference's eighth playoff seed and the loser sent into the offseason.
'It's a great opportunity for our team,' Spoelstra said.
This postseason also represents a great opportunity for Adebayo, 27, and Herro, 25, to continue growing as leaders on and off the court following the trade of Butler.
'With the moves we made at the deadline, it's a tough transition being in something for so long and playing for a certain way for so long and then having to transition midseason and also having guys feel comfortable and stuff like that,' Herro said. 'We've definitely leaned on each other just to help lead the team, but also as we're trying to continue to raise our level of play. Leaning on each other and making sure we got each other's back pretty much on all facets. We talk about just no matter what, we always have to be on the same page. No matter what's going on with the team, wins or losses, me and Bam always have to be on the same page.'
Adebayo and Herro are two of only three current Heat players who were also on the roster during Butler's first run to the NBA Finals in Miami in 2020. The other is Duncan Robinson.
'We kind of joke about it that we're the last of the Mohicans — me, Tyler and Duncan,' Adebayo said. 'So when you look at it in that fashion, you just understand how blessed we are to still be here. A lot of things have changed since the 2020 Finals run. It's only us three left. So for us, it just puts it in perspective how quickly things can change.'
The feeling for both Adebayo and Herro is the Butler trade marked the start of something new and different that they believe can eventually produce positive results.
Adebayo started the season slow, but has averaged 20.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, four assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 44.8 percent on threes in 27 appearances since the mid-February All-Star break.
Herro averaged career highs in points (23.9 per game) and assists (5.5) while shooting a career-best 47.2% from the field this regular season. He also shot an efficient 37.5% on a career-high 8.7 three-point attempts per game while missing just five regular-season games after never playing in more than 67 regular-season games during the first five seasons of his NBA career.
'Hell yeah,' Herro said when asked if he feels like the Heat pivoted to the start of a new chapter this season. 'Obviously, the season is not over, but I think it's just building blocks. I feel like as we continue to grow, I feel like we have a legitimate chance to continue to keep getting better, where we can eventually compete for a championship at one point.'
The Heat hopes it can prolong its season with a win on Wednesday in Chicago. But Adebayo can already say this season has been the toughest he has been through since being drafted by the Heat in 2017.
'Ups and downs, through all the media and everything. Obviously, the 10-game losing streak,' Adebayo said, running through the Heat's tumultuous season. 'You deal with a whole bunch of [expletive] throughout a season and it makes you grateful that I get to be able to play this game. I always think positively about it. I don't really let the down days get me too down.'
Adebayo's responsibilities extend beyond the basketball court as the Heat's captain. Herro has also stepped into a leadership role this season.
Both Adebayo and Herro are learning on the job as leaders, but continue to push through a rough season they hope doesn't end anytime soon with two road play-in tournament wins separating the Heat from making the playoffs for the sixth straight season.
'As captain and as a leader, a lot of times it's not about you,' Adebayo said. 'A lot of times, you got to remember your [expletive] goes last. You got to worry about everybody else and what they're going through to try to get them right and that's coaches included. Sometimes I got to get on Spo. Every once in a while, we have our blowup moments.
'But it comes down to the fact that it's not about you and you got to get 14 guys plus staff ready to go out here and compete and try to win a basketball game. So from that standpoint, I feel like I've gained a lot of respect not only from our coaches but the players who have been here, as well.'