Will Bam Adebayo lobby Antetokounmpo or Beal to join the Heat? Adebayo addresses that.
They share the same agent, have worked out together in the offseason and feel great respect for one another.
But the Heat’s Bam Adebayo made clear late Sunday night that he does not intend to lobby Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo to join the Heat as a free agent in the summer of 2021.
And while wearing a Bradley Beal jersey in the Heat locker room after Sunday’s game, he also said he’s not of the belief that he should push the Wizards guard to eventually join the Heat, either.
Adebayo naturally would relish having either as teammates. But philosophically, he does not believe it’s his place to push for it.
“I don’t want to pressure a man to make his own decision,” when asked if, at any point, he would lobby Antetokounmpo to join Miami in 2021 free agency.
“At the end of the day, when that situation does happen, if he wants to have a conversation with me, then I will have that talk with him. I am not going to try to put pressure on a man to make a decision. This is his life. He just had a child. You don’t want to move your child from city to city. It’s bigger than basketball for him at this point in his life, because he’s got kids, he’s got family, he’s got brothers. You want everybody to be together and be happy. It’s up to him.”
Antetokounmpo doesn’t work out with many players in the offseason, but did so early last offseason with Adebayo, who also is represented by Chicago-based agent Alex Saratsis.
“It shows the respect level we have for one another,” Adebayo said.
Adebayo raised eyebrows after the game when he wore a Beal jersey in the Heat locker room, which he said was a show of respect for the Wizards guard who entered second in the league in scoring at 30.5 points per game. Beal signed the jersey, which read: “A real one! Keep grinding. Humble. Hungry.”
But Adebayo said they have never discussed playing together, and he won’t lobby Beal to try to get to the Heat when Beal can become a free agent in the summer of 2022, or any time before that.
“Like the whole Giannis thing, if he wants to have that conversation, I will have that conversation with him,” Adebayo said. “I’m not going to put pressure on a man to make a decision. It’s his decision, his life, what he wants to do, he can do it.”
Adebayo and Beal spoke after the game and Beal — who shot just 8 for 24 on a 23-point night — said: “He’s a specimen with the way he’s built. He plays like a guard almost in a big’s body. He’s very versatile. He’s a huge piece of their team. I respect him every way for sure.”
Adebayo said the kind words from Beal after the game were “great coming from a guy that’s been in the league as long as him. It’s great to know you earned his respect.”
Beal signed an extension with the Wizards in October, one that binds him to Washington through 2021-22 with a player option for 2022-23. He told the Miami Herald in December that he considered the Heat before signing that new contract.
Adebayo is eligible for restricted free agency in 2021, and the Heat can surpass the cap to sign him to any amount, with a 2021-22 cap hit of $12.8 million.
Adebayo hasn’t spoken at length about the Heat trading Hassan Whiteside to Portland last July but admitted Sunday night: “The trade happened and it gave me an opportunity to really show my game. My first two years I was kind of timid where sometimes I didn’t want to mess up. Coach is really letting me off the leash and letting me do my thing.”
And of being bypassed for the Team USA roster for last summer’s World Cup, Adebayo reiterated:
“It put a bigger chip on my shoulder than I already had. I felt I deserved to be on that team. I’ve been checking the calendar and circling dates and trying to take this league by storm.”
Adebayo was at his best on Sunday, with 27 points, 14 rebounds and six assists while handling point guard duties for much of the fourth quarter.
“That’s what All Stars do,” Jimmy Butler said. “That’s what future max players do. He’s definitely all of that and more. We’re glad to have him. Glad he’s the leader of this team.”
INJURY UPDATE
Butler, who missed the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win against Washington with a sore left toe, isn’t sure if he will be able to play Wednesday at home against Charlotte but said the injury is not a serious long-term issue. He also has been dealing with a mild sprained ankle.
Jae Crowder, who was hit in jaw by New Orleans’ Zion Williamson on Friday, missed Sunday’s game while in concussion protocol but expects to play Wednesday.
Crowder said he experienced “wooziness” after Friday’s game and “I had a headache right after the incident happened, a slight headache, not a crazy one. My balance was a little off. I really wanted to get back out there. I went for some test in the back and felt I still could play but the doctors held me out.”
By NBA rule, he must be clear of symptoms for 48 hours to be removed from concussion protocol. Does he believe that will happen in time for Wednesday’s game?
“Yeah, that’s the plan,” he said.
DUNCAN TECHNICAL
Duncan Robinson picked up the first technical foul of his career for a light shove of Wizards forward Mo Wagner, his former teammate at Michigan.
“That’s my best friend, college roommate,” he said. “If anyone knows how to get under my skin, it’s him. Credit to him. I’m going to invoice him for the $2,500 for sure if I don’t get it back from the league.”
Here’s the full recap from Miami’s win Sunday night in Washington.
This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 8:51 AM.
