(The first in a series of positional breakdowns ahead of the Heat’s Oct. 3 start of training camp at Florida Atlantic University.)
MIAMI – There was a time when Bam Adebayo was the help. That was when he was trying to show the Miami Heat there was a better way than Hassan Whiteside.
But since Adebayo took over as the Heat’s leading man at center in February 2019, it largely has been a revolving door when it has come to finding stability in reserve at the position.
In 2019-20, there were Meyers Leonard and Kelly Olynyk.
In 2020-21, there was the midseason move to Dewayne Dedmon and Nemanja Bjelica.
In 2021-22, there were flashes of intrigue from Omer Yurtseven.
And then last season, there was the turn over the second half of the season and in the playoffs to Cody Zeller.
Now, all are gone.
That makes next week’s start of training camp at Florida Atlantic University a tryout for the next round of Plan B after Plan Bam.
Among the candidates are Thomas Bryant, Orlando Robinson and possibly Kevin Love if he is not cast as the starting power forward.
Depth chart
Bam Adebayo: Now a perennial candidate for All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year, Adebayo, 26, enters his seventh season eligible by Oct. 23 to sign a two-year, $97 million extension that would start in 2026-27 or wait until next summer to sign a potential super-max extension that would be $245 million over four years. Last season’s 20.4 scoring average was a career high, .806 free-throw percentage, appealing in 75 of the 82 regular-season games.
Thomas Bryant: Bryant, 26, arrived as a free agent from the Denver Nuggets on a two-year contract at the league minimum, a deal that includes a player option for 2024-25. The offense has been there when given minutes, including the start of last season with the Los Angeles Lakers and previously with the Washington Wizard. As the lone big man added in the offseason, it would appear a commitment to playing time has been expressed.
Orlando Robinson: Moved in the offseason from a two-way contract to a nominally guaranteed standard deal at the league minimum, Robinson, 23, showed flashes in spot duty last season and even more during summer league in July. The likelihood is opening in chase mode behind Bryant, but with a chance to move into something more substantial if greater defensive mobility (without fouls) can be demonstrated.
Rating the cast
Arguably as versatile defensively as any big man in the league, Adebayo puts the Heat in a position of strength in most games, particularly with his continued growth on the offensive end.
But as was evident at the end of the Dedmon era and through most of the brief run with Zeller, the dropoff is precipitous when Adebayo goes to the bench.
That again could set up as a possibility this season, considering the Lakers and Nuggets ultimately found little use last season for Bryant.
The ultimate answer could be Love in the middle when Adebayo goes to the bench, with Love either shifting over from starting power forward or playing solely as backup center,
What’s changed
While the Heat were able to figure out Brook Lopez in the first round and then avoid Joel Embiid in the East playoffs, the dominance of the mass of Nikola Jokic in the NBA Finals delivered a sobering message of the need for bulk in the center rotation.
What also could change are additional minutes for Nikola Jovic in Spoelstra’s power rotation. That, in turn, potentially could make it easier to play Love as backup center.
The Lillard impact
Unless a center is acquired in a Damian Lillard trade (with Jusuf Nurkic a possibility to be moved by Portland), a Lillard trade figures to have little impact on the current Heat personnel at center. As it is, Bryant and Robinson are not trade eligible until Dec. 15, after signing this summer.
Where a Lillard trade could prove particularly impactful is Adebayo playing as a screener for his former Olympic teammate, further optimizing Adebayo’s skillset.