The Miami Heat have had a rocky season so far, possessing a 20-19 record. It has been a stellar year for players like Norman Powell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. This is a decent run for those players, but the expectations are higher for the longtime stars, which include Bam Adebayo.
As the longest-tenured player on the Heat roster, Adebayo has become a building block for the franchise. He is a tremendous defender, but he is not as good on the offensive side of the game.
Adebayo gets called out for his offensive deficiencies
Considering that he is known as one of the Heat's star players, Adebayo has been underwhelming. He is averaging 16.4 points per game, which is his lowest average since the 2019-20 season when he averaged 15.9 points a night.
He is also quite inefficient, shooting 44.6% from the field and 31.7% from beyond the arc. It has not been the prettiest of seasons for Adebayo, which has translated into some bad results for the Heat.
More: Bam Adebayo speaks on the Heat’s starting lineup struggles
This was quite evident against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they lost 124-112. In that game, Adebayo was quite anonymous on the offensive end, scoring only six points.
That is not what is expected from a star player, and former All-Star guard Jeff Teague believes it disqualifies Adebayo from being called a star.
"Bam don’t really be killing. He’s just a good player. He’s not a star. He’s a good complimentary piece. He’s still a quality player, fringe All Star. I think if they get Ja Morant some new blood in there that can run P&Rs with him I think he’ll step up. I just don’t think he’s playing with a pure PG right now," Teague said on Club 520.
Moving forward, the Heat might need other players who can be the true stars of the team. Tyler Herro can play that role, but he has not been fully healthy this season. Kel'el Ware might have that potential in the long run, but the Heat are stuck in limbo at the moment with their current construction.
More NBA News:
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- Spoelstra is not concerned about Tyler Herro's spot in the starting lineup amid issues
- Tyler Herro gets honest about the 'young and fun' Miami Heat this season
- Erik Spoelstra expresses disappointment in the Miami Heat's lack of effort