Bam Adebayo believes the Miami Heat’s blockbuster addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo provides the franchise the chance to chase the championship that has remained out of attain throughout his profession.
Adebayo, who has reached two NBA Finals with Miami in 2020 and 2023 however has not received a title, stated the arrival of the two-time MVP has created a renewed sense of pleasure across the group.
“You sit up for it,” Adebayo stated, in response to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “You sit up for the joy across the season. I really feel like Pat [Riley] has been making an attempt to get any individual at that star degree for some time now. So with the ability to have that shift and that change, we’re searching for progress. We’re trying to clearly win video games and have some progress.”
Miami acquired Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Milwaukee Bucks in a franchise-changing commerce on July 6, sending out Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis and future draft property. The transfer reworked the Warmth from a staff that completed 43-39 and reached the Play-In Match right into a contender constructed round two elite two-way forwards.
Adebayo averaged 20.1 factors, 10.0 rebounds and three.2 assists in 73 video games throughout the 2025-26 season whereas incomes All-Defensive Second Staff honors. He additionally posted career-high quantity from three-point vary, making an attempt 5.5 threes per sport, though he shot 31.8% from deep.
Antetokounmpo joins Miami after one other dominant season with Milwaukee, persevering with a profession that features two MVP awards and a 2021 NBA championship. The Warmth are hoping his inside scoring, transition dominance and defensive versatility can complement Adebayo’s potential to protect a number of positions and anchor a protection.
The 2 stars have already began constructing chemistry, understanding collectively in Las Vegas throughout July. Adebayo stated their early conversations have centered on the identical goal.
“We’re able to get to work,” Adebayo stated. “The aim is to win a championship. That’s his mindset. We’ve got a like mindset in relation to that. So these conversations had been actually about successful.”
Each gamers are represented by agent Alex Saratsis, which helped create an current relationship earlier than Antetokounmpo arrived in Miami. Adebayo believes their shared strategy will make the transition simpler because the Warmth start constructing round their new frontcourt pairing.
“There’s an pleasure round this season,” Adebayo stated. “Going into this season, we wish to have pleasure. We wish to have one thing to sit up for. We really feel like now we have an opportunity, and we’re going to go for it.”
The largest questions surrounding Miami’s new roster contain spacing and playmaking round Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. The Warmth misplaced a number of offensive contributors within the commerce, together with Herro, who averaged 20.5 factors and 4.1 assists in 33 video games final season, and Jaquez, who averaged 15.4 factors, 5.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists.
Miami tried to handle capturing wants by signing Tim Hardaway Jr. to a one-year contract after he averaged 13.5 factors and shot 40.7% from three-point vary with Denver final season. Andrew Wiggins also returns after averaging 15.4 factors whereas capturing 41.4% from three.
Adebayo is assured the Warmth can resolve these challenges internally.
“We’ll determine it out,” Adebayo stated. “We don’t actually fear concerning the outdoors noise an excessive amount of. We’ve accomplished much more with much less in our previous years earlier than. So we’ll determine it out.”
