There’s still no timetable for the return of big man Bam Adebayo, who missed a fourth straight game on Monday due to a left hip contusion, per Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra (Twitter link via Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald). Adebayo traveled with the team to Charlotte for Monday’s game, but Spoelstra said that didn’t necessarily mean he was close to playing.
“I wouldn’t read too much into it of him being on this trip other than he really wanted to be here and he can do his work,” Spoelstra said.
As good as Adebayo has been this season, the Heat have held their own without him in the lineup. The team has a net rating of minus-1.7 in the 537 minutes Adebayo has played in 2023/24, compared to a plus-4.7 mark in the 567 minutes he hasn’t been on the court.
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Using Kyle Lowry‘s expiring $29.7MM contract as part of an in-season trade to acquire a player – or players – under contract beyond this season is certainly a possibility, but the Heat will have to be careful about the salary they add to next year’s books, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who says the team doesn’t seem inclined to surpass the second tax apron in 2024/25. Jackson takes a look at some of the other factors Miami must consider as it weighs trade scenarios and looks ahead to the future.
- After a down year in 2022/23, Duncan Robinson has been a key part of the Heat’s rotation in 2023/24, averaging a career-high 14.8 points per game and increasing his shooting line to .478/.426/.833 through 21 games (13 starts). Robinson spoke to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald about his motivation to bounce back this fall and to silence questions about his work ethic.
- Heat two-way player R.J. Hampton says his recovery from a knee sprain was a “long process” but that he feels as if he’s 100% healthy now, Chiang writes for The Miami Herald. Although Hampton didn’t end up playing at all on Monday vs. Charlotte, Spoelstra said he was ready to go if needed.
- Second-year forward Nikola Jovic is on his second G League assignment of the season, as Chiang notes in the same Herald story. Jovic suited up for the Sioux Falls Skyforce this afternoon and the plan is for him to remain with Miami’s NBAGL affiliate through Friday’s game vs. Windy City before rejoining the Heat.
Miami needs to figure out what they’re doing with Jovic. He’s a small forward who can stretch to the four, yet Miami experimented with turning him into a small ball center in the G League – which lasted all of a couple of games before they stuck him back on the end of the main rosters bench. He’s young, he needs to play, and one feels he needs that chance somewhere else – Miami don’t know what they’re doing with him
most asertive comment i ever read here cam!
Mrs. Jovic is that u
I hope your rap bars are better than your comments! Let me know when you get over the minimum subscribers threshold for Spotify payouts – get that 4 cents brother.
The Heat should cash in their chips while the cashing is good. Bam and Herro and Duncan are the only keepers.
They are not going to do better than they are now. Likely to finish below. 500.
HA! SELL!