Bam Adebayo Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Oladipo, Durant, Wagner, Maker

August 10th, 2022 at 6:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Victor Oladipo, who re-signed with the Heat this summer on a two-year deal worth approximately $18MM, has only appeared in 12 regular season games since he was acquired from Houston at the 2021 trade deadline, but he’s ready to return to top form, he told Vince Carter on the VC podcast (hat tip to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald).

He’s calling it his “Revenge Tour.”

“When I say revenge, I’m taking about God’s revenge,” Oladipo said. “They messed up my surgery, I sat back. I tore my quad, I sat back. But now it’s my time to rise, I truly believe that. So that’s the revenge tour. That’s what it’s all about. It’s one day at a time, it’s a constant grind every day. That’s what I’m focused on doing.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Kevin Durant‘s ultimatum to the Nets could be a potential boost for the Heat in trade talks, Chiang speculates. Brooklyn might decide to lower its asking price before having the awkward situation drags into training camp. The Heat have been unwilling to part with center Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler in a Durant deal. Adebayo is not currently eligible to be included in a Durant trade unless the Nets also trade Ben Simmons to the Heat or another team due to the Designated Rookie Extension rule. Miami’s current trade package would be highlighted by Tyler Herro.
Magic big man Moritz Wagner won’t play for Germany in the World Cup qualifiers or FIBA EuroBasket 2022 due to an ankle injury, according to Eurohoops.net. The severity of the ankle injury wasn’t revealed but Wagner expressed disappointment that he won’t be able to participate. “The fact that my ankle isn’t healed is difficult to accept at first, but it’s part of the game,” he said in a statement released by the German federation. “This team is special and I’m looking forward to watching the boys play and supporting them.”
The plan for Makur Maker is to play with the Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, during the upcoming season, Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. Maker was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract on Wednesday. The contract will allow Maker to receive a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived during the preseason and then spends at least 60 days as an affiliate player.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Tampering Penalty, Herro

July 30th, 2022 at 5:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat center Bam Adebayo is hoping for a career path similar to teammate Udonis Haslem‘s, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Speaking today at his youth basketball camp, Adebayo said he not only wants to play his entire career in Miami, he hopes to be a community leader in South Florida just as Haslem has been.

“If I could, I would,” Adebayo said of the prospect of playing for just one team. “Just to have that opportunity to be around this community for my whole career. A lot of the community has seen me grown up. Going from a random 14th draft pick to being a cornerstone in this organization and to become something bigger. It’s just one of those things that’s dope when people grow with you.”

That decision isn’t entirely in Adebayo’s hands, and teams have inquired about him as Miami seeks to add another star on the trade market. The Nets would be interested in Adebayo as part of a Kevin Durant deal, but multiple sources told Chiang that Miami hasn’t included him in any of its offers and isn’t willing to part with him to get Durant.

“It’s the faith they got in me,” Adebayo said. “I feel like they know what they have. You get a guy who’s hard-nosed, who’s going to get it out the mud, who’s not going to quit on his teammates. It’s just mutual respect. I feel like a lot of teams want me, but it’s just a respect thing. Also, it’s (team president) Pat (Riley) believing in me, it’s (owner) Micky (Arison) believing in me, it’s (general manager) Andy (Elisburg) believing in me that we can make that next step to bring this city another championship.”

There’s more from Miami:

Adebayo may push for a larger role in the offense when training camp opens in September, suggests Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. While the Heat could benefit from more consistent scoring out of their starting center, Winderman notes that Jimmy Butler will still carry a large share of the offense and plenty of shots have to be allocated for the team’s three-point specialists.
In a separate story, Winderman wonders whether the tampering penalty assessed against the Heat last year — loss of a second-round draft pick — will also be directed at the Sixers, who are currently under investigation, and the Knicks, who may be investigated as well.
The Heat front office should remain patient unless there’s an immediate chance to add a star such as Durant or Donovan Mitchell, contends Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson explains that means holding onto first-round draft picks and not extending Tyler Herro‘s contract this offseason.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Martin, Jovic, Herro

July 27th, 2022 at 5:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat‘s reluctance to part with Bam Adebayo has effectively taken them out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, at least for now, sources tell Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Miami could decide to revisit a potential Durant swap later on if something changes, but for now the team plans to move forward with its current roster.

According to the authors’ sources, the Nets haven’t shown much interest in the Heat’s trade offers, which haven’t included Adebayo or Jimmy Butler. That means any deal would likely have to be built around Tyler Herro and draft assets. Miami can currently offer two unprotected first-round picks and as many as three pick swaps. The team could free up another first-rounder by negotiating with the Thunder to lift lottery protections on the 2025 pick owed to OKC.

Another hurdle is that Adebayo is ineligible to be dealt to Brooklyn as long as Ben Simmons remains on the roster because of the designated rookie extension rule. Even if the Heat change their minds about moving Adebayo, a third team would have to be found to take Simmons in order for the deal to work.

There’s more from Miami:

The Heat plan to have Caleb Martin take over the role of P.J. Tucker, who signed with the Sixers in free agency, Jackson and Chiang add. Martin only played 22% of his minutes at power forward last season, but the organization is willing to see how he can handle the position before exploring a trade.
First-round pick Nikola Jovic has received an invitation to try out for the Serbian national team ahead of EuroBasket 2022, Chiang writes in a separate story. Summer League was challenging for the 19-year-old, who had up-and-down performances and dealt with a quad contusion. “I’m still learning,” he said. “I just need a little time.”
The Heat say they’re content with the current roster, but the offseason moves shouldn’t be considered complete until they reach a contract extension with Herro, says Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Herro would become almost untradeable for the rest of the season once an extension is in place due to the “poison pill provision.” That would virtually eliminate any chance for a significant trade to acquire Durant or Donovan Mitchell.

Eastern Notes: Adebayo, Giannis, Oppenheimer, Ross

July 24th, 2022 at 8:13pm CST by JD Shaw

Despite not having won a Defensive Player of the Year award so far in his NBA career, Heat center Bam Adebayo expressed optimism about his chances next season, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.

“I should have won it the last two years, and I will win it this year,” Adebayo told youth campers at a recent Heat clinic.

The 25-year-old has established himself as a versatile defender, enabling Miami to play a switch-heavy defense. He guarded players such as Trae Young, Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid during the Heat’s latest postseason run.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will play for the Greek National Team in this year’s EuroBasket competition, Hellenic Basketball Federation president Vaggelis Liolios confirmed, per Christos Tsaltas (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo also recently hinted at the decision on social media.
As Tsaltas notes, Bucks assistant coach Josh Oppenheimer will also join the Greek National Team with Antetokounmpo. Oppenheimer has served as an assistant with Milwaukee since 2020 and was part of the team’s championship run last season.
Magic guard Terrence Ross is enthusiastic about the team’s roster entering next season, as relayed by Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel (video link). While Ross doesn’t know what his future holds with the franchise, it’s clear he thinks highly of Orlando’s young nucleus, which includes No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero.

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Yurtseven, Jovic, Durant

July 24th, 2022 at 2:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Though the Heat are still making an effort to trade for a star like Nets forward Kevin Durant or Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, the team could eventually consider pivoting to pursuing a solid veteran like John Collins, Myles Turner, or Harrison Barnes in their frontcourt, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Winderman writes that Miami’s front office has had conversations about potentially including young All-Defensive center Bam Adebayo in a deal for Durant, but not everyone in the Heat brain trust is on board with offloading the 25-year-old big man for the injury-prone 33-year-old veteran.

Winderman adds that the team could trade up to three future first-round selections at present, but could theoretically acquire more to include in a deal if it opted to move other young players like Tyler Herro, Max Strus, Omer Yurtseven, Gabe Vincent, or Nikola Jovic in separate trades with other clubs for additional draft picks.

There’s more out of South Beach:

The Heat will probably wait to move on to Plan B trade targets until they have exhausted their possibilities for adding Durant or Mitchell, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. According to Chiang, Miami most likely will want to keep its coffers open should another superstar become available via trade.
Following summer training obligations with their respective national teams, Heat big men Omer Yurtseven and Nikola Jovic will have to hop directly to a training camp with Miami, with possibly as little as a two weeks off in between, notes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
In a separate piece, Winderman wonders if the Heat are hurting themselves as they await a potential Durant deal. With league activities essentially on hold until Durant is moved, Miami finds itself at something of a crossroads. The team currently lacks a true NBA rotational power forward after having let P.J. Tucker walk in free agency and thus far not opting to re-sign Markieff Morris.

Heat Notes: Herro, Durant, Highsmith, Adebayo, Oladipo

July 21st, 2022 at 12:54pm CST by Rory Maher

The polarizing way in which rival teams view Tyler Herro is one reason why the Heat haven’t made much headway in trade talks for Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell, sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link), who says Miami is still determined to make something happen and “can never be counted out.” If Herro signs a lucrative rookie scale extension, that might make it more difficult for the Heat to deal him in part because of poison pill provision rules, Lowe notes.

According to Lowe, some league executives and coaches view Herro as a potential All-Star, but some view him more like Jamal Crawford or Lou Williams, an instant-offense bench scorer whose defensive limitations make it difficult to keep him on the court in the playoffs. Lowe observes that the Heat are unable to match rival teams’ trade packages centered on first-round picks, so if they are able to land one of the stars on the trade market, part of the reason will be due to an opposing team being “higher on Herro than consensus.”

The Heat including Bam Adebayo in a deal for Durant would hamstring the Heat’s defense and could have disastrous long-term consequences due to the advancing ages of Kyle Lowry (36), Durant (34 in September), and Jimmy Butler (33 in September), Lowe writes. Sending Ben Simmons to Miami along with Durant would help solve that problem, but Lowe says the Nets are “wary of selling low” on the three-time All-Star, whose value has cratered after missing all of last season for various reasons.

Lowe takes an in-depth look at Herro’s strengths and weaknesses, ultimately suggesting that the 22-year-old might be able to develop into a player like CJ McCollum, a very good offensive player with below-average defense.

Here’s more on the Heat:

Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link) provides an update of where things stand with Miami’s pursuit of Durant. According to Jackson, Brooklyn isn’t interested in Herro as a headliner, so Durant heading to the Heat will likely hinge upon the star insisting on only being dealt to Miami, which obviously hasn’t happened to this point.
Haywood Highsmith is vying for an increased role in 2022/23 and will aim to emulate the departed P.J. Tucker, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “I think me and P.J. have similar styles on defense,” Highsmith said to the Herald. “We like to guard the ball, be physical and play hard and just play to win. On the offensive end, he’s a good three-point shooter in the corner, and I think I’m a good three-point shooter in the corner. I think I can do the stuff that he does on the dribble handoffs and the short roll, get into the pocket and making plays, shooting the floaters. I think just on both ends of the floor, I think we have a lot of similarities.” Highsmith’s salary is only guaranteed for $50K next season, so he’ll have to earn both his minutes and his contract by sticking with the team into January, when non-guaranteed and partially guaranteed deals become fully guaranteed.
Adebayo and Victor Oladipo are unfazed by the perception that the Heat have taken a step backward this summer after losing Tucker to the Sixers and not signing any outside free agents, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “They’re always counting us out,” Adebayo said. “We The Kennel for a reason, the underdog. That’s our chip. You can believe what you want, you can say what you want.” Oladipo re-signed with Miami on a two-year, $18.2MM deal that includes a second year player option.

Southeast Notes: Strus, Adebayo, Bridges, Wizards

July 20th, 2022 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat swingman Max Strus said during a visit to a local youth camp on Tuesday that he’s “excited” about the club’s current roster, but acknowledged he has heard the rumors about the possibility of Miami acquiring a star player like Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

As Winderman notes, it’s possible that if the Heat were able to make a trade for a star, Strus would be included in the outgoing package. While Strus admitted that there’s some uncertainty about his future, he said he’s trying not to think about it until “something happens,” adding that he certainly understands why the team would be motivated to find a way to trade for a player like Durant.

“How can you not want a guy like Kevin Durant?” Strus said. “He’s a once-in-a-generation type player and great player in the game and one of the best of all time. I’m excited to see what happens and I hope the best for him and the best for our team. That’s all that really matters.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Because the Nets can’t acquire Bam Adebayo as long as Ben Simmons is on their roster due to the designated rookie rules, there hasn’t been much discussion about whether the Heat would even be willing to part with Adebayo in a hypothetical Durant deal. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald explores that topic and speaks to a pair of scouts who both say they’d be comfortable parting with Adebayo to land Durant if the Simmons conflict wasn’t an issue.
After Miles Bridges was formally charged with felony domestic abuse in Los Angeles County on Tuesday, the Hornets issued a brief statement on the situation: “We are aware of the charges that were filed today against Miles Bridges. These are very serious charges that we will continue to monitor. As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.” The Hornets still have a qualifying offer out to Bridges, but his restricted free agency is unlikely to be resolved before the two sides get a clearer sense of how his legal case may play out.
In his latest mailbag, Josh Robbins of The Athletic explores a handful of Wizards-related topics, including the trade value of the team’s young players and how willing the front office would be to trade another first-round pick. Robbins also says he could see Deni Avdija taking a significant step forward in 2022/23 and wonders if Washington will trim its standard roster to 14 players by opening night to maximize its flexibility (the team currently has 15 on guaranteed contracts).

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Haslem, Mitchell, O. Robinson

July 15th, 2022 at 1:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat center Bam Adebayo plans to be more aggressive in looking for shots next season, according to Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Responding to a recent call from team president Pat Riley to take a greater role in the offense, Adebayo appeared on a radio broadcast during a Summer League game and said he’s ready for that challenge.

“They call me ‘No Ceiling’ for a reason,” Adebayo said. “Just being a more efficient scorer. I feel like my shot attempts are going to go up. The guys want the ball in my hands. They want me to score more. My job is really easy this summer.”

Adebayo averaged career highs with 19.1 points and 13 shots per game last season while finishing fourth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, but Riley believes there’s another level he can reach. The long-time executive wants him to become more consistent in creating his own shots, and Chiang and Jackson note that Adebayo’s shot totals fluctuated wildly during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Adebayo also discussed the Heat’s offseason moves, saying that keeping continuity on the roster will provide the best chance to chase another title.

“It’s mandatory to get back to where we were and have a different result,” Adebayo said. “It haunts you. Because you get that close to something, one shot away and you look at the game, there were so many moments where we could have taken advantage of the game.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Udonis Haslem lashed out at critics who say he doesn’t deserve a roster spot, Chiang and Jackson add in the same story. Haslem, 41, hasn’t played much during the past six seasons, but he claims his work with young players makes it worthwhile to keep him on the team. “People don’t know we have the most undrafted people in the NBA in our team,” Haslem said on Duncan Robinson‘s podcast. “There is something going on here people, but you dumb [expletives] can’t understand. You are so focused on my age and why I’m here. There’s a reason why I’m [expletive] here. Look at Caleb Martin. Caleb Martin just got paid.”
Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune confirms that Miami made an offer for Donovan Mitchell that the Jazz considered “insufficient.” The Heat don’t have the draft assets to compete with the Knicks, Larsen notes, with only their 2023, 2027 and 2029 first-rounders available, plus pick swaps in other years. The Jazz and Heat agreed that a third team would likely be needed to get a deal done, according to Larsen.
Orlando Robinson was disappointed to be passed over on draft night, but he’s grateful for the opportunity he’s getting with Miami on an Exhibit 10 contract, Chiang writes in a separate story.

Latest On Kevin Durant

July 1st, 2022 at 6:11pm CST by Luke Adams

After speaking to “a couple” NBA general managers, Marc J. Spears of ESPN (video link via Talkin NBA) outlined during an appearance on NBA Today what sort of return the Nets are seeking as they explore the trade market for Kevin Durant.

“A young or future All-Star,” Spears said, “lots of picks, the ability to swap picks, and another starter.”

Spears went on to say that Durant “might not have as much control of the situation as one would think,” not only because he has four years left on his contract but because there are so many teams involved in the bidding. According to Spears, about half the league’s clubs remain interested.

Here’s more on Durant:

Sam Amick of The Athletic explains that Phoenix is Durant’s preferred destination in part because of his close relationship with Monty Williams, who was an assistant for the Thunder in 2015/16. The bond between the two men grew deeper after Williams’ wife was killed in a car accident in February 2016, Amick writes.
While Phoenix may be atop Durant’s wish list, Amick has gotten the sense that the Nets would want something more – or something “different” – than a Suns package headlined by Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges. Cameron Johnson is a player who might help move the needle for the Nets, Amick adds. However, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) suggests that any deal between the Suns and Nets would likely see Phoenix giving up the maximum amount of first-round picks (four) and pick swaps (three).
The Heat are also on Durant’s wish list, but Amick says the former MVP would only want to play on a Miami team that features Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry. Amick is understandably skeptical that a package centered around Tyler Herro would gain any momentum.
The Nets have been “emboldened” by the returns in the Rudy Gobert and Dejounte Murray trades, which both included multiple unprotected first-round picks, Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on ESPN’s televised NBA Free Agency Special on Friday evening. Wojnarowski added that he doesn’t believe the Nets are in any rush to make a deal, since they want to fully assess all their options.
Wojnarowski also said during ESPN’s NBA Free Agency Special (video link) that he believes the Raptors are “lurking” as a possible suitor for Durant, given their combination of players and draft picks, as well as their track record for making this sort of deal (for Kawhi Leonard in 2018).

More Than Half Of NBA Teams Have Inquired On Durant

June 30th, 2022 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Since word broke this afternoon that Nets star Kevin Durant has requested a trade out of Brooklyn, more than half of the teams in the NBA have called to inquire about the former MVP, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said during an appearance on NBA Today this afternoon (video link via Malika Andrews).

The Suns and Heat have been mentioned as two of Durant’s preferred landing spots, but the Nets are expected to take the best deal available to them rather than focusing on sending the veteran forward to a specific destination.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Warriors are probably the only team that can be ruled out as a landing spot for Durant. I’d also be shocked if the Nets were willing to send him to the cross-town Knicks.

Early indications are that the Nets aren’t especially inclined to acquire Deandre Ayton via sign-and-trade as the centerpiece of a Durant deal, Fischer writes, adding that – from Brooklyn’s perspective – any deal with Phoenix or Miami would likely have to start with Devin Booker or Bam Adebayo. However, both of those players are on designated rookie extensions, prohibiting the Nets from acquiring either one unless they move Ben Simmons.

Given that the Rockets control the Nets’ draft picks (either outright or via swap rights) for the next several years, don’t expect Brooklyn to pivot to a full-fledged rebuild as part of a Durant trade, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during the same episode of NBA Today (video link)

Windhorst isn’t sure if the Nets will get a superstar in return, but expects them to target selfless, team-first players, citing Suns forward Mikal Bridges as an example. As Windhorst observes, those are the types of players GM Sean Marks spoke about wanting during his end-of-season media session in May.

“We’re looking for guys that want to come in here and be part of something bigger than themselves, play selfless, play team basketball, and be available,” Marks said at the time.

Windhorst also says his phone is “blowing up” with executives wondering where Kyrie Irving is going to end up. There has been no indication that Irving has requested a trade, but he seems far less likely to remain in Brooklyn for the final year of his contract if Durant is traded.

“If Kevin Durant is on the first train out, Kyrie Irving will be on the caboose as far as the Nets are concerned,” Windhorst said.

According to Fischer, league sources “continue to whisper” about Irving’s desire to join the Lakers and reunite with LeBron James. However, a trade between L.A. and Brooklyn would be challenging, since the Nets reportedly have no interest in Russell Westbrook.