When the Miami Heat acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo and paired him with Bam Adebayo to form a star-studded frontcourt, many believed that the Heat would emerge as frontrunners to win it all. With one of the most formidable duos in the league, Miami seemed like a genuine threat in the offseason. Unfortunately, the regular season has given the team a harsh reality check .
Following their 138-117 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, the Miami Heat find themselves sitting at 2-5 on the season, placing 10th in the East. Although such a result could be attributed to the inevitable growing pains of forming a new roster, some believe that Bam Adebayo could be the problem .
As the face of the Heat franchise, Bam Adebayo shoulders the responsibility of being a game-changing player. Sadly, this hasn't been the case early in the season. On that note, during a recent interview , Heat legend Dwyane Wade addressed Adebayo's early-season slump, stating:
"It's so hard to play with another guy who's really, really good; who does some of the things that everyone else does. Giannis is a guy who'll have that ball in his hands. So, you talk about Bam, and everyone's talking about Bam's struggles, and they're there. The struggles are there. You can't run away from the struggles."
During Heat games, Wade observed that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo would often struggle to play alongside each other. With Antetokounmpo routinely occupying the spaces Adebayo had become comfortable operating in, the latter found himself on the outskirts, treading unfamiliar territory.
"Bam's become really good in the middle of the floor," he added. "He's been a decision maker, a guy who can attack down the middle. Bam didn't get one pick-and-roll. Bam gets pick-and-roll lobs. There's no pick-and-roll lobs for Bam. There was no getting in the mid-post area and going to work."
While acknowledging how Bam Adebayo is being pushed out into the corners, Wade continued:
"One, you can't do that. You can't be pushed to the corner. You can't be pushed out of the offense. And I know basketball players don't want to say this; we don't want to believe it, but your defensive game goes as your offensive game goes. You got to touch that ball. You've got to be involved."
Dwyane Wade's first piece of advice seems quite sound, especially when factoring in Bam Adebayo's stats this season.
In seven appearances, Bam Adebayo is averaging 16.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game on 49.4% shooting from the field. Aside from his reduced offensive production, Adebayo is also attempting only 12.1 shots per game, a marked drop-off from his 15.7 shots per game last season. Given that his usage rate has also reduced from 25.0% last season to 21.7% this season, Wade's rationale holds.
So what else must Bam Adebayo do to address this issue? Dwyane Wade provided a clear solution, commenting:
"He has to be the number one option with the second-unit guys. Point-blank period. You can't be a role player with the role players. You [should be] a star player with the role players. When Giannis is in the game, Giannis is number one. You have to be number two. Whatever that looks like."
Wade also touched on Miami's struggles with opening up the floor for Giannis Antetokounmpo, something that can be attributed to the team's poor three-point shooting to start the season. Despite this, the Heat legend noted that these shooters are only struggling because of the lack of consistent rhythm and flow. With added pressure to knock down each shot on days that Antetokounmpo isn't scoring, Miami's offense implodes.
As concerning as the offensive fit issues are, Wade believed that the team could figure it out. However, he was more worried about the team's performance on the other end of the court, as he added:
"You'd expect them to be a really good defensive team. That's what we were. We probably started the season 9-8 in the Big 3 era. 9-8. But our defense was at least a calling card for us, where we knew we had a chance to win. Our offensive package wasn't that great. It took time to learn how to play with other guys that need the ball."
"They have nothing to hang their hat on right now," Wade criticized. "When I look at the Miami Heat, it's early in the year; they're not a team yet. They're a bunch of individual guys who have not had a lot of uncomfortable conversations yet. They like each other. They're great guys individually, but you have to get through some uncomfortable s–t."
On paper, Miami looks formidable. With some notable pieces on their roster, the Heat have the potential to be an elite team on both ends of the floor. Still, as Wade mentioned, there is still a lot of room to grow.
Given how the offensive flow affects the defensive integrity, the Heat must make the necessary adjustments sooner rather than later to prevent further losing streaks. Since this largely involves Bam Adebayo understanding his role in the rotation and stepping up to be the primary option when required, Miami's coaching staff must find ways to get the superstar more involved.
