The Miami Heat have been one of the more consistent teams in the Easter Conference over the past few years. When Jimmy Butler initially elected to sign with the Miami Heat not much what was made of it; even after enjoying success for half a season on the Sixers alongside former teammates Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Butler signed with the Heat and it was the Miami Heat’s way of representing a new era of Miami Heat basketball post Dwyane Wade who gave the franchise his blood sweat and tears for close to 15 years before finally calling it quits in the mid 2010’s. Jimmy Butler has enjoyed success on the Heat and has made 1 Conference Finals appearance along with an NBA Finals appearance the year 2020 in The Bubble which was Jimmy’s most notable achievement from an individualistic standpoint as a franchise player and 1st option on a roster. Watching Jimmy Butler compete against the Lakers in The Bubble was like watching Allen Iverson battling Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal all over again; although Iverson’s Sixers lost the series in 5 games you got that feeling that the Lakers weren’t going to take any chances with letting Iverson smell blood or else he would’ve snatched the series from them. Butler struck that same fear into the Lakers in the Finals he just didn’t have enough backup at that time so his solo heroics came to no avail.
Fast-forward a couple seasons and one thing remains, Bam Adebayo. Bam Adebayo was selected 13th overall by Pat Riley and at the time I did not make much of it but one thing I did know about Bam was he was a man-child and with the proper development he could turn into something special. The Miami Heat lost to the Boston Celtics in last season’s Eastern Conference Finals because Jimmy Butler was left on an island, Tyler Herro was nowhere to be found and Bam? Well the moment got too big for him and his lack of a consistent perimeter game was exploited by the Celtics and he was clanking jumper after jumper off the back rim like a drunk Carlos Boozer. I say Carlos Boozer because he was never the ideal stretch big but boy if Jimmy had a big like Boozer who could knock down jumpers consistently whether off a pin-down or a drive and kick the Celtics wouldn’t have lived to see a Game 7 in last year’s playoffs. Moving onto this season the Miami Heat have gone under the radar once again and I’m here to tell ya tread lightly with them because Bam Adebayo is finally rounding into form and this time around he’s got a reliable perimeter game and will now make you pay big-time for sagging off.
This is what it was all about all for Jimmy all along, he didn’t come to Miami to prove he can average 30-35 ppg and lead the league in scoring or maybe chase down a league MVP trophy, he came because he had faith in what could be several years down the line with not only Bam Adebayo but also Tyler Herro who’s got 130 million reasons to prove to the Miami Heat fan base this isn’t a repeat of Pat Riley handing out 4-year deals to James Johnson and Dion Waiters arguably the 2 worst deals Pat Riley has given out as President of the Miami Heat. Back to Bam, he’s 6″9′ 255 pounds built like an action figure and he’s rounding himself into arguably the best all-around big man in the game right before our own eyes. He is the perfect big for today’s game, strong and tall enough to play both power forward and center, he can screen and roll,screen and pop,he’s made himself into a go to option in the post and is phenomenal in give and go situations. He’s got a 7″1′ wingspan is an elite rebounder and shot-blocker and can guard forwards and centers with ease; he’s truly a jack of all-trades and being able to knock down shots off the dribble has always been his glaring weakness; he’s not a Kevin Garnett,Dirk Nowitzki, or Detlef Schrempf shooting elbow jumpers but he’s far from a Draymmond Green who is a capable shooter but not someone the Warriors expect to get them scoring let alone floor-spacing.
It was evident something had to change in Miami, I think back to their first-round match-up against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Playoffs where they were swept with ease and I really thought the Heat were getting ready to possibly move on from Bam Adebayo or Tyler Herro. They now sit in an Eastern Conference which quite frankly is open for the taking, the Celtics and Bucks are formidable but the Heat have the experience,coaching, and personnel to challenge both Eastern Conference powers and yes I am aware of the Sixers I just have my concerns for PJ Tucker and his historically bad offense this season and of course Tyrese Maxey’s role within the Sixers’s rotation. I give Miami a shot because they really are a new team this season, Jimmy might get all the glamour but it all begins and ends with Bam this time around. No more heavy lifting for Jimmy, Bam is no longer the super role player he’s been the past few years he’s now a NBA all-star and ready to carry the Heat on his shoulders something Pat Riley likely envisioned in his crystal ball when he selected him in the 2017 NBA Draft.
D-NBA 