Bam Adebayo at 28: What’s the next step for Heat captain? | Five on the Floor

Bam Adebayo at 28: What’s the next step for Heat captain? | Five on the Floor

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Again, helps us helps you. Daily fantasy simplified. And now today’s episode. [Music] [Applause] Mercy luxurious heat nation. Yeah. Mercy down the [ __ ] gang. Five on the floor for my dogs. Where’s the thing? You can check the score. Hustle hard. Couple stars wearing bubble frog [Music] plan got all y’all seen the block stop one hand and paps we’re here to bring the heat y’all can hang it up. Welcome to five on the floor a daily insider show on the Miami Heat and the NBA featuring Ethan Skolnick, Greg Sander, Alex Toledo, Brady Hawk, and others from the Five Reason Sports Network. Also, make sure to subscribe to Off the Floor for the most heat anywhere. Oh, we still got prize picks up there. See, use that code five. Here’s today’s floor plan. I’m Ethan Skull. You can follow me at Ethan J. Skull again sports. I got Eternal Bass. You can follow him at Eternal Bass. Follow them right to the Discord. You can communicate with them there. Uh we’re going to do a couple of topics over the next couple of days. We got a lot of episodes actually we have lined up. Thanks to all those off the floor have been suggesting them. You can do that in the podcast channel. This one’s kind of easy though. Bam turned 28 today. I’m speaking on uh this is Friday, so by the time you listen to this, he might already be into his 28th year a little bit. But he’s 28 years old. 28 is considered to be was always sort of considered to be the prime. Like when people talk about when when entering your prime is kind of you know some said 27 but 28 to 31 supposed to be kind of where the athletic ability and the knowledge of the game. So sort of the mental and the physical kind of match up whereas you know you may be at your physical peak prior but the mental part of the game is not quite there and then of course you go through this period and then after that you know physically you may start to decline a little bit but your IQ has to make up for it. Dwayne Wade’s a good example of this by the way. Um, if you take a look at his career arc, injuries had something to do with this, but freakishly athletic when he first came in, dealt with a lot of knee injuries, and by the end of his career, I mean, he was using an old man game. He was basically finding angles and all those things along those lines. Um, but attorney, we want to talk about Bam today because you have some thoughts that maybe in a previous episode we did not give him quite enough credit. Um, which is interesting on an Oh, was was No, Greg wasn’t on that episode. So maybe Brady Brady was there and he and I were talking about the options on this team as scoring options and kind of agreed that in terms of shot attempts and likely scoring numbers, it’s probably hero Powell and then we were kind of flip-flopping on Bam and Wiggins as number three and what would be better for them. Uh but you have some numbers towards the end of the season that maybe speak a different story. Yeah, I mean you you look at kind of what Bam was doing from January 27th uh which is around if I’m not mistaken I think that is around the Magic game uh that went to uhOT um in Miami. You look at what he was doing like right right before the All-Star break on to up to the end of the season where he hosted up a bunch of uh three-point shots, more three-point shots than he did the all season and the previous year uh as far as the same kind of trajectory. You you saw Bam starting to come more back into his own with a little bit of different flare. uh for a stretch of time he was averaging 25 points and 10 rebounds which is what you would like to see from Bam Adabio especially if you were you someone who was kind of displeased by the rough start that he had um to start the season. So, I do think that when you guys kind of looked at what the pecking order would be, especially with no Jimmy kind of looming over everybody and how those things would play out, even with the addition of Norman Pow and Andrew Wiggins, we saw I mean, Ethan, you were there. You pointed it out at one of the games where Bam looked at the sideline and said, “Get me the [ __ ] ball.” So, right. I I do think um it’s probably a little premature just to assume that he is going to be third or fourth on the you know kind of the alpha chart on on offense. Well, I I guess the reason for it, other than that they just added Powell, who you know, obviously put up big offensive numbers last year on on a team that won while he was doing it, is that every time that we get excited about Bam’s offensive breakout, there’s some kind of a setback that holds us back in check, right? So that that’s that’s my concern about it because it feels like it may take him a little bit of time to kind of figure out exactly where he fits, especially if this offense leans into the guards the way that Spolster was leaning into them last training camp. And I’ll say this that well we did say this Brady and I he was leaning into it when it was Rosier in hero. Now he’s got a guy who’s far more efficient than Rosier and can play off the ball uh in a way that that Terry really cannot and so doesn’t overdri. So it feels like he’s going to lean into that even more. And then I just wonder all right with Bam like offensively yes there are certain things that he probably can do with wear in there if where ends up starting and this is the topic we keep coming back to that frees up Bam in some capacity and and also you know look um I don’t think Hakachonus is going to play a whole lot early this season. I think that’s what summer league showed. We’ll do another episode on that. So, I I don’t I don’t think there’s going to be a big increase in like Bam’s easy baskets terms of lobs that maybe we were thinking uh when this uh when the draft pick was made. So, I I just am wondering if he’s going to have a little trouble finding a fit and also if Spolstra might tell him, look, do what you do best, anchor our defense, let’s get that organized early and and maybe not force feed him so much as he leans into the guards. Can you see that as a possibility? Well, just just to kind of piggy back off of what we were talking about with the January 27th to May, BAM averaged 21.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 um steals, 0.6 blocks. Uh and 51 51.7% shooting, 43% shooting from from three. Um you would say that’s a good stretch, right, Ethan? as as far as No, I I mean I think look if you got that and I just it’s hard for me to extrapolate it over a whole season because he he’s never really done it over a whole season. Like we we talked about how last year was unusual in that the slow period was at the beginning. Yeah. The previous two years the shot attempts I think it was was it two years ago or three years ago that his shot attempts decreased month by month. Now, part of it last year, I think, was the Jimmy hangover. Everything that was he was dealing with his captain, um, and also I think what played into it a little bit was they had a guard in the starting lineup who was overdribbling the heck out of the ball. Uh, I don’t think that helped either. And, and so you saw when they put Wear in there, they got Rosir minutes down, although it took Spo forever to do that. When DaVon started playing more minutes, then yes, Bam started to flourish offensively. So, you would figure, okay, some of those elements are in place. There’s no Jimmy anymore. Um, wear is still there. We’ll see again if he’s taken what was said about him to heart and if he and and if he has a good camp and comes out the season comes out the start of the season strong. All of these things are possibilities. I I just am again I’m reluctant because it doesn’t seem like part of it last year too was when they didn’t have Jimmy like they needed somebody to score. Now, they have added a scorer in Powell. So, I I I think expecting BAM to get 25 probably not likely. I know you’re not a fan of this, but I don’t see Tyler’s shot attempts going down. Brady’s think Brady thinks they’re going up. So, I So, that’s So, if you look at it and look, his his effective field goal percentage suggests that’s not such a bad thing. So, I I just am having like I said, I’m struggling to see that they go to BAM more. Now, can he have stretches of the season that were like he did over the last, you know, two months? Yes. Um, I just want to see him not have those games where he comes out with eight field goal attempts. Like, I I just don’t I don’t see I don’t see that happening because again, like me bringing up that game of him shouting to the sideline, “Give me the [ __ ] ball.” Um, and that came just made us not safe for kids a second time, but that’s okay. It’s Friday night. Um, which you’re one to talk. Uh, I I didn’t say this episode, but um, I think that’s something to take account of, especially because of the time period, right? It came after the Jimmy stuff and you saw as the season was going on how much more vocal B was not only in the locker room but on the court as the season progressed and kind of establishing himself as the de facto leader of the team without Jimmy being there and especially now as you you know brought up in a previous episode without Kevin Love being there. I do think that Bam is going to make it more vocal of getting me the ball. not in a selfish way, but kind of setting the tone. You get what I’m saying? Like there there’s a difference there. And I think Bam will have that. We’ll get that respect. He’ll get that opportunity. Now, I albe it’ll be up to Bam to kind of show that in camp and how he set the tone for camp. But I I just the way he finished the season for that long of a stretch and especially going into this off seasonason with no Jimmy uh with no Kevin Love like that’s his team. I think I think without a doubt he’s going to make that clear that is his team. Do you think and then after the break I got a couple more things to get to. We I just did an episode with Matteo and Sean Rochester, which I recommend everybody listen to about, you know, is Spo going to get more outspoken this season after, you know, doing that with where? And one of the points that we brought up was, okay, is he going to start calling out other guys now? Because if you’re just going to call out one, it can seem like you’re picking on somebody, right? He has always to the hilt defended Bam about the aggressiveness of this thing. Like, it’s our narrative. You guys are always talking about that. We don’t talk about that in-house. He does all the other things and nobody is disagreeing that he does all the other things or that he’s a great Miami Heat example or any of that stuff, but he he goes to the end of the earth on that one. Like more so, I think than any other. Do you think if Bam retreats into a shell and is getting six shot attempts and two two free throw attempts that Spo will actually call him out on that this year or are we just going to wait for everybody to do that on YouTube? You know, one of the great things about you that you brought up is what we the public or now that I’m on this side, what they the public see from a spo is totally different from what the players see. And I do think based off of what you saw from Aspo in that meeting last year, even even just besides the wear stuff, he called it a very loser mentality to look at the East and think that now it’s just wide open. Right. Right. And and I I do think that this will probably be the most Pat Riley coach like season for Spo. I think Spo is going to be hard ass this season. I think he I think he and Bam are going to be a hard ass together just to kind of reel in the team. But if that’s the case, if that’s if that’s the case, if Bam is going to assume that personality, which we know is not his natural personality, right? Okay. It’s hard for him to be mean. I think I he he got he got upset at me when he got named captain. The question I asked was, “How are you going to do this with your personality?” And he kind of gave me a look, you know, and I didn’t mean it in a bad way. It was sort of like, “Okay, you’re you’re a nice guy.” like he’s just a nice human being. What’s that? He’s a cool dude. I said, “No, he a cool dude.” But again, how the season ended, his his personality, as we saw, as you guys saw behind the scenes, as I saw behind the scenes and on the court, Bam’s voice got much louder as the season progressed, right? But also, but also, it’s hard to get loud if again if you have six shot attempts and three two free throw attempts. Agreed. even if you are doing the little things on defense like that is and and I want to see it in the games that he has these other guys on the floor with him because some of Bam’s best offensive games came with Jimmy out and that was fine okay and it was fine that he took over in those situations I’m talking about even before Jimmy you know threw his tantrums and left but or was traded but even before that but it’s it’s got to happen on a consistent basis all right I I’m going to ask you some rapid fire stuff on the other side here before we do insurancebyette.com aggressive insurance agency car insurance renters insurance, home owners insurance. 954-5818800. That’s 954-5818800 insurancebyette.com. The insurance agency that works for you. Again, she’s on all of our our Discord, our playback, everywhere. A huge Miami Heat fan. Most important thing though is she can help you get the insurance you need. So, reach out to her. Go to our small firm, but again, personalized attention, smiling face, big Heat fan, and knows what she’s doing. 954-5818800 insurancebylanette.com. All right, let’s get to this here. Um, a few things as we go forward. Bam Adabio is now 28 years old. When he’s done, will he be considered a top five player in Miami Heat history? Yes, I believe so. Wait, you you weren’t speaking loud enough. I couldn’t hear you. Hold on. I said yes, I believe so that Bam will be a top five player in my immediate history. Okay, he’s got to displace someone if that’s going to be the case right right now. Right now, how do we have it? We have Well, I I have I mean it’s Dwayne, LeBron, Zo, Jimmy for me, Shaq, Hardaway, Drag What’s that? Bash. No, I’m saying those are like the four. Oh, okay. Okay. So, he’s got he’s got to pass all of them to get to five. We can argue he’s probably passed Timmy already, right? Yeah. So, like if I was to if I was to rank it real quick, it would be Wade, Braun, Jimmy, Zo, Shaq, right? Okay, that’s fair. And then Bosch. Bosch is six. I Well, yeah, that that’s kind of how we had it. I I will admit I had Jimmy ahead of Zo before. Now, how it how it how it ended. Yeah, I get it. You know what I’m saying? But just like what he did, I got it. Yeah, I I I get it’s just it’s so fresh that’s all. Um and you know, now now they’re trying to get back to the culture and Zo kind of set that and all that. All right, this one is Bam currently in your view a top three big in the East. Hell yes. Listen, he had a rough year last year, right? Like we could talk about that. But his totality of work, if I do it, not No, I’m not going to go there. his totality of work, right, deserves that deserves that respect. And players can have down years is how you respond. How he responded at the end is what matters. Like how he responded to close out the season was what mattered. And Bam has proven it in the playoffs in his play and anchoring a defense and being the number two guy on a team that went to three Eastern Conference finals and two finals and was the best player in a finals. the playoff tail is what we’re supposed is what we’re supposed to care about. He did that and he’s also added the three-point shot to his game. Oh, well that that was gonna be my last uh question for By the way, being a big three big top three big in the east is not that hard actually if you can Well, who are you even throwing in there? No, I mean Embiid, right? If he’s healthy, which is I think Giannis is Giannis is a big Yeah, he’s a unicorn. But like Giannis and and be what’s what is Paulo? He’s a wing to me. He just It’s a freaking NBA right now, you know. But it’s all over the place. I know. But Bam. Yes. I think it’s Giannis. Does Embiid count as an asterisk right there? Right now, but like Yeah, he is. He’s the ultimate asterisk. But you got to throw him. I think Giannis, Bam, cat right now because Embiid hasn’t played. Okay, that’s fair. Um, uh, last one here, the three-point shot. If I was to tell you, you have one of these two options. Okay. Bam averaged only four free throw attempts per game last year. That’s the lowest of his career since he became a regular starter. A nominally, I don’t think that happens again. Okay. If I was to say that you have one of these two options, okay, Bam can shoot an extra three per game and raise his percentage there to over 38%. So an extra three raise his percentage to 38% which will make him a real threat from there on a consistent basis. Okay. Or he can get over seven free throw attempts per game. Which do you choose? I would choose a three-point shot because you are trying to go in a new direction with him and Khalil and you need the respect, right? I I now just in this scenario that’s what I’m choosing. I still think he’s going to get back to shooting more free throws, but I do think if BAM ends the season, well, does the whole season of like what, five three-point shots, I think he ended from that from that January 27th to the and I think it was four and a half shots, four and a half threes per game, I think, is what he took. Basically, I’m saying if he sustained that over the course of an entire season is basically what I’m saying. Yeah, that I’d still take I I I know people are going to disagree with me and they’ll agree with you. I would take the free throws. Of course you would, Ethan. You wanted a ban to stop shooting threes. It’s a mindset. It’s a mindset. It’s a mindset. And get those bigs into foul trouble. All right, Eternal. We appreciate it. We’re going to do another episode. He and I uh tomorrow. I don’t know when you’ll hear it on Hakonas’s. The totality of his uh his his summer league. Also, um Greg and I are going to do an episode about the best this also comes from Discord uh from our off the floor. the best possible case scenario for the Heat team without significant injuries this year. The worst case scenario for this Heat team without significant injuries. We’ll do those over two separate uh podcasts as we go forward. So, we did not do a Dame Lillard episode. I’m not really planning on one. Everybody knew my thoughts on that. I was not big on them getting him at this point anyway. And I’ll tell you, as a as a single father, I will never ever ever ever ever give a guy a problem for going home to be with his kids. Sorry. So if for heat fans who are freaking out about that, it’s you’re not getting it from me. All right, Eternal. Appreciate it. Thank you, sir. Uh our sponsors, insurancebylanet.com. Price picks, use the code fi.

Miami Heat forward/center Bam Adebayo turned 28 on Friday. Ethan Skolnick and Eternal Bast discuss where his game has grown, and where it still can…. and must.

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