Bam Adebayo teases a surprising twist in Heat’s upcoming season: "There’s a different dynamic to it"

That’s enough to have Adebayo optimistic.

“I feel like Norman is one of those guys that floats under the radar. But as you saw this year, he’s really shown that he can be an All-Star caliber player. You’ve seen what he’s done and you’ve seen him grow in this league. And, obviously, he wants to take the next challenge. Obviously, the next challenge is being with the Miami Heat. So I’m happy to have him.”“Davion being back, obviously, we’ve been missing somebody that can really play on-ball defense,” Adebayo said. “And having him come in and be that guy and understand his role, I’m looking forward to him being here for a full year and all of us being together and getting to know one another and turning this into more of a brotherhood. We were kind of disconnected a little bit trying to figure out everybody’s role and trying to figure out everybody’s style of play. But now we’re going to have a good training camp and then we go from there.”The Miami Heat made some bold moves during the offseason, parting ways with Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson, while bringing in Norman Powell—a player who flirted with All-Star status last year. It’s definitely a step up for a team that logged just 37 wins last season, but the real question lingering in everyone’s mind is: How much impact will this shakeup truly have? Bam Adebayo, the team’s heartbeat, is brimming with hope and shared his thoughts at his annual youth basketball clinic in Miami. He stressed how Powell’s underrated talent and hunger for the next challenge could infuse new life into the squad’s dynamic. Yet, the road ahead demands more than just one new piece. Keeping Adebayo and Tyler Herro on the court for the majority of the season, hoping Andrew Wiggins rediscovers his All-Star mojo, and watching young talents like Kel’el Ware and Davion Mitchell rise to the occasion will be pivotal. Speaking of Mitchell, the Heat showed faith by locking him in with a two-year deal worth million—a clear signal they believe his recent stint wasn’t a mere flash in the pan. With the Eastern Conference expected to be softer than usual, Miami’s improved roster could turn some heads… if everything clicks. A believable playoff return with a shot at advancing beyond that painful first-round sweep? It’s within reach, and that’s got Adebayo genuinely fired up. LEARN MOREBam Adebayo is optimistic about this team. Here is what he said to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, speaking at his annual youth basketball clinic at SLAM! Miami charter school.Miami has a chance to make some noise in what is projected to be a down Eastern Conference, but it needs to find some more consistent offense this season. Powell helps with that, but the Heat need more: Adebayo and Tyler Herro need to stay healthy and play 65+ games, Andrew Wiggins needs play at his All-Star form from Golden State, Kel’el Ware needs to take a step forward (likely with Erik Spoelstra prodding him), and Davion Mitchell needs to show that how he played in the 30 games after being traded to the Heat were not a fluke, when he averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 assists per game. The Heat bet on Mitchell, signing him to a two-year, million contract.

A return to the playoffs — and hopefully a better result than a 0-4 sweep exit in the first round (at the hands of the Cavaliers) — seems distinctly possible for the Heat, who should be improved over a season ago. “It’s a very good shake up for our team and now there’s a different dynamic to it…The Miami Heat upgraded this summer, moving on from Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson but adding a borderline All-Star last season in Norman Powell. That’s a positive for Miami, but how much does it move the needle for a 37-win team?