Latest news with #BamAdebayo
Newsweek
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Bam Adebayo Defends 'Heat Culture' Amid Ongoing Criticism
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. All-Star Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo has backed up "Heat Culture," the team's seemingly unique approach to roster-building and training, from its lingering critics. Following a trying 2024-25 season that saw six-time All-Star Miami swingman Jimmy Butler force his way out of town — and the team tumble out of contention — the notion of "Heat Culture" currently finds itself somewhat in flux. More Miami Heat News: Heat Star Bam Adebayo Loses Out on All-Defensive Team Honor For First Time in Years During a new interview with longtime NBA insider Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, Adebayo revealed that he, for one, is an ardent supporter of the concept — even now. "If I ruled the world, I wouldn't change it." Miami Heat big man, Bam Adebayo talks Heat Culture, his big man influences, playoff takes and why Chris Bosh's sacrifice still sticks with him. A thoughtful convo full of insight and loyalty. 🔗Check out my latest with @Bam1of1 ➡️… — 👑 Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson (@ScoopB) May 19, 2025 "If I ruled the world, I wouldn't change it," Bam said, when asked if he would handle Miami's approach to its team-building any differently. "The thing is, it's like if you're not in it, you wouldn't understand." Heat team president Pat Riley, who has been in charge of the organization since 1995, and longtime head coach Erik Spoelstra, who has been on the team's coaching staff since 1997 and its head coach since 2008, have instilled their own particular brand of basketball on generations of star players. More Miami Heat News: Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra Was Brutally Honest With Steve Kerr on Jimmy Butler Since the 2005-06 season, the Heat have appeared in seven NBA Finals, winning three. They traditionally employ a swarming, defense-first identity, are obsessed with fitness, and were one of the early proponents of small-ball basketball. "That's the thing about 'Heat Culture,'" Adebayo claimed. "If you aren't a part of it, then you don't know what it's like to be inside of the locker room or around the Heat organization." MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 26: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Kaseya... MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 26: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center on April 26, 2025 in Miami, Florida. More Photo by"Heat Culture" has been called out by a variety of critics over the years. During a fall 2024 episode of his eponymous "The Bill Simmons Podcast," The Ringer's Bill Simmons took stock of the club's recent failings. Bill Simmons asks if Heat Culture 'died' after striking out on Damian Lillard🤔 Mentions miss on Rozier trade, Jovic/Ware not panning out 'McCain was the most Miami pick. They whiffed on this pick. Im just not looking under my bed anymore for the Heat.' — Hot Hot Hoops (@hothothoops) November 22, 2024 "They had a terrible year [in 2023-24]," Simmons said. "[Pat] Riley got mad at [Jimmy] Butler. The [Terry] Rozier trade turned out to be kind of blah ... Bam's [Adebayo] gone backward." Rozier, acquired in a midseason 2023-24 trade with the Charlotte Hornets, fell out of favor with Spoelstra quickly in 2024-25 after an uninspiring playoff showing the previous spring. "I assume that's going to turn around [Adebayo's play] but I'm just pointing out he doesn't look like a top 15 player in the league," Simmons said. "Nikola Jovic, who they were all excited about, blah." A four-time All-Defensive Teamer and a three-time All-Star, Adebayo had a bit of a down season individually in 2024-25. After being pivoted to a power forward role next to rookie Kel'el Ware, Adebayo averaged a still-good 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks a night for the 37-45 Heat. Miami became the first No. 10 seed to survive the play-in tournament and capture a playoff spot this spring, but the team had its clock roundly cleaned by the No. 1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in a four-game sweep. When asked by Robinson about the Heat's team-building intentions during the offseason, Adebayo was a company man, keeping word mum. "I feel like that's more in-house... between the organization obviously with Pat [Riley], [owner] Mickey [Arison], and everybody else who's involved," Adebayo said. In another conversation with Robinson, the 6-foot-9 Kentucky product reflected on why he was omitted from this year's 10 All-Defensive Team honorees, a list he had made every year since 2020. "Uhh... Politics, you know? You can't really help it," Adebayo said. "Some dudes have power over the media and some dudes don't. But in my case, we can't really voice for it if we're in the 10th spot. Now if we're in the 3rd spot or 4th spot? You could say something." More Miami Heat News: Dwyane Wade Offers Blunt Reaction to Jimmy Butler's Playoff Run Former Heat Star Calls Out Jimmy Butler After Warriors Playoff Exit Heat President Pat Riley Unapologetic on Jimmy Butler, Promises More Changes Heat Star Tyler Herro Takes Massive Shot at Darius Garland Over Playoff Comments For more Miami Heat and general NBA news and rumors, stay tuned to Newsweek Sports.
Forbes
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Why Nikola Vučević's Trade Value Could Be Unclear This Offseason
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 16: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat guards Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Chicago ... More Bulls during the first half of the 2025 SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 16, 2025 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) With the Chicago Bulls once again failing to make the actual playoffs, the organization is likely busy trying to map out its immediate future. One specific avenue of that future is whether or not Nikola Vučević should remain a part of it. There's no question that, despite his age, Vučević remains impactful. The 34-year-old is still very much capable of producing at a high level, as he finished the year averaging 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and sporting a true-shooting efficiency of 61.1%. Those are rock solid numbers, and while they're bumped up by Chicago's fast pace, there's a major case to be made that Vučević himself is far better in an offense built around speed, than usual half-court slugfests. At just over $21.4 million next season, the last year on his contract, a case could be made that Vučević would make for an interesting, and realistic, target for serveral contenders in need of more offense at the big position. But first, the Bulls will have to agree to move off of him, and that's not necessarily written in stone. Chicago has a history of hanging onto players for too long, and a reasonable argument can be made that Vučević is among that group already. That said, given he's just coming off one of the best years of his career, and the fact that he's actually fairly cheap when you consider the salary cap bump this summer, now might be the best time for Chicago to make the decision of trading him to someone with a higher chance of winning a championship. Identifying a return isn't straightforward. Vučević is a player with clear strengths, and clear weaknesses, some of which will have a portion of teams immediately write him off as a legitimate candidate. As such, the Bulls will need to boil down their list of potentially interested teams to those who don't mind his defensive shortcomings, and who'll live Vučević going through a three-week stretch every season where he looks like a bench player. The Lakers would prefer a vertical player at center, who can catch lobs and make plays near the rim, and play off both LeBron James and Luka Dončić, but what if their best option this summer is Vučević? The Raptors, who need both floor-spacing and depth at center, is also a team that shouldn't dismiss Vučević out of hand. Even the Atlanta Hawks, who are in need of size and consistent scoring at center, can't really afford to not inquire about him, if they wish to become more competitive next season. So, what could a price point be? From Chicago's side, it should be all about draft capital, except the organization has seemingly no interest in building through the draft. That means the next-best thing could be young veterans, who have available data points for Chicago to analyze, and ponder whether there's a fit or not. That, more than anything, seem like the most realistic path should Chicago end up exploring Vučević trades. Unless noted otherwise, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Heat Star Bam Adebayo Loses Out on All-Defensive Team For First Time in Years
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Miami Heat's 2024-25 season was one of the more strange in recent memory for the franchise. Miami traded away star Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline and was forced to roll with a makeshift roster for the second half of the season. Led by star center Bam Adebayo, the Heat were able to make the postseason, but fell short of doing anything significant. Despite Adebayo playing well, he did end up missing out on an honor that he normally receives. For the first time this decade, Adebayo missed out on making either of the All-NBA Defensive teams. The star big man is one of the better defenders in the NBA, but this is a significant miss for him. For first time this decade, Bam Adebayo was bypassed for All NBA defensive honors. — Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) May 22, 2025 This article will be updated...
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pat Riley Says Heat Will Not Run It Back After Failed Season
After an embarrassing showing in the 2025 playoffs, the Miami Heat are due for some major changes this summer. In his annual press conference to end the season, team President Pat Riley confirmed that the strategy will not be to "run it back" after several years of limited roster moves. "RIB. Run it back. We're probably not going to do that," said Riley. "Players aren't just going to show up. You have to make deals. You have to look at the board. You've got to try to do something that will benefit your team and your two key guys. I think we're in as good of a situation as we could have ever been from a draft pick, young player, a favorable contract situation in a long time. Especially at a time in the market when it's hard to plan." Advertisement The Miami Heat had title ambitions to start the season, back when they still had Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro leading the way. Even at this stage, the Heat were struggling to keep up with the NBA elites, and they were underdogs to finish in the top six in the West. Compared to teams like the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Knicks, Miami didn't have enough depth or firepower to compete, and the best they could do was hover around play-in territory in the East. After years of inactivity in the offseason, the Heat typically prefer to play the long and methodical approach to team building, but now Pat Riley is ready to shake things up. For the sake of pursuing a championship, Riley plans to rebuild the Miami Heat, and that means parting ways with several core players. Depending on who they target this offseason, we could even see the Heat move on from guys like Tyler Herro or Bam Adebayo, but only if it gives them a path to improvement in the future. Pat Riley Makes Peace With The Jimmy Butler Fiasco What ruined this season for the Heat was not just a lack of depth, but rather the breakdown of trust between Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley. After the two had a falling out behind the scenes, Butler forced his way out and left the Heat without a viable star to replace him. Advertisement While Riley is partly to blame for Butler's departure, he doesn't have any negative feelings toward the NBA veteran. Despite the chaos he caused on his way out, Riley doesn't have any regrets about his decision not to extend Butler's contract. 'No, I'm to going to apologize for saying no on the contract extension, and I don't think I should. All the teams that I did lose, you take the loss and then go home, and then be quiet. But there wasn't trolling back in that day. There's no doubt that what happened with Jimmy had a tremendous impact on our team... I will always say that to the players, if I was coaching, 'Keep your mouth shut,' I'll see you next training camp when you get back on the court," said Riley. "But it's different today with players. It's over, he's done, I wish him well, good luck to him. I hope, deep down in his heart somewhere, that he wishes us well, too." The Heat didn't get far without Butler. After winning the play-in tournament to earn a spot as the 10 seed, they were eliminated in four games by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, without a leading star, the Heat must create a different identity and find a player who can lead the way both on and off the court. This summer, the Heat will have plenty of options, including a potential deal for Kevin Durant. Even if they can't find a star, however, Riley is determined to mix things up and try something new that will give the Heat a fighting chance in the East. Related: Jimmy Butler Warned Pat Riley With Stern Message Amid Beef
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Heat Expected To Show Interest In Trading For Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant's future with the Phoenix Suns remains uncertain, with an exit in the offseason still very much on the cards. A fair few teams are expected to be interested in Durant, and NBA insider Marc Stein reports that the Miami Heat are forecasted to be one of them. 'The Heat are frequently forecasted as a team, along with Minnesota, expected to show trade interest this offseason in Phoenix's Kevin Durant. What sort of clues Riley drops clues about his team-building approach in the wake of a 37-45 campaign and painful first-round playoff sweep inflicted by Cleveland will be of prime interest.' Advertisement The Heat made it to the NBA Finals in 2023, but they are nowhere near good enough to compete for a title anymore. After moving a disgruntled Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors at the trade deadline, they finished the 2024-25 season with a 37-45 record. The Heat became the first 10 seed to make it to the playoffs via the play-in tournament, but they wouldn't go too far. The Cleveland Cavaliers swept them in historic fashion in the first round. Changes seemed inevitable after a trashing like that, and Bam Adebayo hinted that he expected Heat president Pat Riley to make a lot of them. Later in his end-of-season press conference, Riley confirmed that the Heat's strategy this offseason won't be to run it back. Getting a player like Durant would certainly help the Heat turn things around. While the Suns proved to be arguably the most disappointing team of the 2024-25 season, the 36-year-old still put up big numbers. Advertisement Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43.0% from beyond the arc. His age wouldn't be a concern to Riley as well, as he stated in that press conference that he isn't against going after an aging star. "I think if you take a look at the Warriors, with Draymond [Green] and Steph [Curry] and Jimmy, you got three 35, 36, 37-year-old guys," Riley said. "... I think an aging great, great player who may not be able to carry a team, together they can rise to the occasion in the playoffs. "Steph's injury might hurt them a little bit, but I saw something very unique with that team," Riley stated. "So, for us, yes, if that player is the right name and the contract is the right length, I still think that an aging player can play. "Look at LeBron [James], look at these players," Riley added. "It's incredible that players, like LeBron and others, that have played into their mid to late thirties and produced at a high level can help teams win championships, and you have to pick out the right one. I'm not against adding that, no." Advertisement Durant has not won a championship since leaving the Warriors, but you'd reckon he still fits the bill. The 15-time All-Star has more gas left in the tank than the 40-year-old LeBron James, too, and would be an interesting addition to the Heat. They are going to face competition, though, and you wouldn't have them as the favorites in the Durant sweepstakes as of now from an assets standpoint. Related: Miami Heat' Potential Trade Package For Kevin Durant Includes 3 Stars And 2 Picks
