It is now official. Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo will join the United States national team’s 12-man roster. This will be Adebayo’s first appearance on the national team. Two summers ago, Adebayo was cut from the national team. According to head coach Gregg Popovich, Bam’s passive play had a lot to do with it. It was also the type of deferential play that hurt the Heat in the first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks. For the majority of the series, the Bucks kept playing off of Bam.
With players like Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, and Bradley Beal on the team, Bam is unlikely to play a leading role. However, there will be some scoring opportunities for Bam. A key thing to watch out for Bam is his aggressiveness. If he is aggressive with the players around him, it’ll show a more encouraging signal for the 2021-2022 NBA season, which will mark the beginning of the five-year extension Bam signed with the Heat last year. An aggressive Bam makes the Heat a better team overall.
Jump shooting and post play will be one of the key areas to watch in Bam’s improvement. Last season, he shot 57 percent from the field, but he still needs to improve his range from 15 feet and above. Adebayo rarely shoots from three-point range, and when he does, he normally shoots it at a career 15.9 percent. He shot his best three-point percentage last season at 25 percent on eight attempts. As for post play, patience will be the key. Last season, Bam would often rush his shots in the post. Especially when he was not being guarded by shot blockers. Bam does not have to have any special post moves, he just needs to finish better when he’s at the rim.
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Time for Bam Adebayo to Recruit?
We know stars like playing with other stars. Bam has played pickup basketball with other stars whenever they showed up in Miami. Playing for Team USA will create another recruiting opportunity for Bam. He’s now teammates with Lillard and Beal, who both have been mentioned in trade rumors. However, there’s been more noise surrounding Lillard lately. A recent Yahoo Sports report by Chris Haynes suggested that the Portland Trailblazers star could be looking elsewhere depending on the moves of the team. A potential Lillard trade could change the landscape of the league. Don’t be surprised if Bam and others start contacting Lillard if they haven’t already.
Adebayo’s personality makes him the perfect recruiter for the Heat. We have seen the jersey swaps he’s had with other players around the league, including Beal. He’s also a selfless player who loves to create easier opportunities for his teammates. Now trading for either Beal or Lillard will be tough. It’ll take some creative trade maneuvering from Miami and some help for either player to make something happen.
For example, Lillard will have to tell the Blazers that he only wants a trade to Miami. And even that doesn’t guarantee a deal will get done. Miami is still lacking in draft capital and there are other teams that can put up more enticing offers. But still, the opportunity for personal improvement and recruiting is there, and that’s why all eyes will be on the Heat center this summer.
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