Many Miami Heat supporters believed the team was going through a transitional period as the 2024–25 season approached, and they were prepared to make Bam Adebayo the team’s new face as they gradually moved away from the Jimmy Butler era. Their summertime activity—or lack thereof—also suggested that. Butler did not receive an extension, but Adebayo was offered a huge contract.

However, not many people have been impressed by Adebayo’s start to the season. His most recent poor performance was when the Heat fell 116-107 to the New York Knicks. Adebayo recorded three rebounds, four assists, and eleven points. Karl-Anthony Towns, on the other hand, finished with 44 points, 13 rebounds, and two assists.

After the first four games of the season, Adebayo has averaged 11 points, 3 assists, and 7.2 rebounds. He has also yet to score a three-pointer. It is reasonable to assume that the new face of the Heat has not impressed the team’s supporters:

It was anticipated that Adebayo would advance in his development this year. A lot of talk about him improving as a three-point shooter before the season began. However, it appears that he has regressed in almost every area over the first four games. It’s only four games, then. It’s far too soon to draw any judgments. However, if the Heat are to even make it to the playoffs this season, they must improve significantly.

Additionally, Adebayo is not the only issue. Despite a few strong performances, Butler also seems a little off-color by his own standards. The Heat’s lone real bright spot this season has likely been Ty Tyler Herro, but his 34-point effort against the Knicks was in vain.

Erik Spoelstra agrees that Bam Adebayo should play a larger role in Miami’s offensive scheme.

Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo appeared ready for a career season on the offensive end of the court before to the 2024–25 regular season.

During his tenure with Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, he demonstrated a greater willingness to shoot from three-point range. Head coach Erik Spoelstra stated earlier in October that he will attempt up to seven three-pointers in some games during his eighth season in the league.

Adebayo, though, has only played a minor offensive role for the Heat in four games. He is only making 2.0 3-point attempts and scoring 11.0 points on average per game. Additionally, he finished Miami’s October 30 loss to the New York Knicks with 11 points on seven field goals.

Spoelstra underlined that Adebayo needed to play a bigger offensive role for the Heat following Miami’s second defeat of the season.

Adebayo was one of Miami’s most consistent scorers last season, but he hasn’t scored more than 12 points in a single game this year. He scored 19.3 points per game, the second-highest average of his professional career, in 71 games during the 2023–24 regular season. A season ago, the only Heat players who averaged more points per game were Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler.

Adebayo is not the only Heat elite player, though, who has had a difficult start to the season in terms of scoring. In his sixth season in Miami, Butler is scoring 16.8 points per game on average and only 12.5 percent from outside the arc. He only scored 15 points against the Knicks.

When Miami plays a weak Washington Wizards squad on Saturday night, maybe Adebayo will regain his offensive footing. Despite winning their last two games, the Wizards don’t really have many excellent defensive players.

The Heat will surpass the.500 mark for the season once more at 3-2 if Adebayo and the club can secure their third victory of the year on Saturday.