Stan Van Gundy is not convinced the Miami Heat’s new roster will climb out of the Eastern Conference’s play-in picture, and part of his skepticism centers on Bam Adebayo’s offense.
The former Miami coach questioned Adebayo’s offensive reputation during an appearance on the Oct. 15 episode of “The Zach Lowe Show.” His assessment extended beyond the center to the supporting cast around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Van Gundy offered a more favorable view of Andrew Wiggins before turning to Adebayo.
“I think Wiggins is a little underrated, but I think Bam is a little overrated, particularly at the offensive end of the floor,” Van Gundy said.
Van Gundy also questioned whether Davion Mitchell is the right full-time starting point guard alongside Antetokounmpo. He raised concerns about Antetokounmpo’s recent health and argued that Miami’s perimeter shooting additions could leave the defense vulnerable.
He expressed doubt that the Heat would finish among the East’s top six, despite his respect for Erik Spoelstra. That makes his criticism a judgment about how the pieces work together, with Adebayo’s offensive contribution one part of a broader concern.
Bam Adebayo’s offensive role is changing alongside Giannis
Adebayo averaged 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game during the 2025-26 regular season.
He also scored 83 against Washington in March, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history.
That extraordinary performance belongs in any discussion of his offensive accomplishments, but a scoring peak and a season-long role answer different questions.
Miami now needs to determine how much of Adebayo’s offense should come from creating opportunities himself and how much should come from playing off Antetokounmpo.
The assists are relevant to that discussion. Evaluating Adebayo only by his scoring would overlook the possessions in which he helps another player get a shot.
At the same time, his previous production cannot establish how efficiently a new partnership will operate against a set defense.
Spoelstra has already described a plan that gives Adebayo responsibility beyond waiting for an outside shot. In comments Heat Nation covered Sept. 30, the coach discussed having Antetokounmpo work away from the ball while Adebayo initiates.
“It’s about playmaking, it’s about cutting, it’s about Giannis sometimes playing off the ball and Bam making the play,” Spoelstra said.
That approach offers a specific way to test the fit: whether Adebayo can help create easier opportunities for his new teammate. It also means his success cannot be measured solely by whether his own scoring average rises.
There is an adjustment involved in assigning those responsibilities. During camp, Antetokounmpo described a misplaced pass after a teammate moved somewhere other than where he expected.
The example illustrated a need for shared reads, even when the player making the pass believes an opening is available.
Van Gundy questions the cost of Miami’s added shooting
Miami has made a measurable investment in perimeter offense. Tim Hardaway Jr. made 224 3-pointers at 40.7 percent last season, while Klay Thompson made 202 at 38.3 percent.
Those totals amount to 426 made threes in the 2025-26 regular season. They help explain why the Heat would value the pair around a frontcourt featuring Antetokounmpo and Adebayo.
Van Gundy’s concern addresses the other end of those possessions. Adding players who can convert outside shots does not automatically establish that the same group will defend well enough to stay together in important minutes.
For Spoelstra, the question is how much offensive benefit each combination provides relative to the defensive pressure it places on teammates.
The shooting numbers show what Thompson and Hardaway have produced; they do not measure the performance of a lineup that includes both in Miami.
There is also a connection between defending and getting the new offense moving. Transition accounted for 24.9 percent of Miami’s possessions last season, the highest share in Synergy’s 22 seasons of tracking play types.
That makes defensive execution relevant to more than the points Miami allows. The Heat have an established preference for running, so their ability to finish defensive possessions can help determine how often the offense gets to attack before an opponent is organized.
LeBron James offered a different view of the Heat’s defense
Van Gundy’s outlook differs from the assessment LeBron James offered on “Mind the Game” earlier this week. James highlighted Adebayo, Antetokounmpo, Wiggins and Mitchell, along with Spoelstra’s ability to organize the group.
“I think defensively they’re going to be damn good,” James said.
Those comments preceded Van Gundy’s appearance and were not a response to it. They nevertheless identify where the two evaluations differ: James emphasized Miami’s defensive core, while Van Gundy questioned the compromises associated with its supporting shooters.
Both subjects will matter when Spoelstra settles on combinations. Praising the best defenders does not resolve the weaknesses of every lineup, just as identifying a vulnerable defender does not establish that the entire team will struggle.
The broader skepticism also appeared in Thursday’s NBA GM survey, which Heat Nation examined. Miami tied Indiana for seventh in the East’s weighted voting, even as Antetokounmpo led the vote for the offseason acquisition expected to have the greatest impact.
That ranking was derived from executives selecting their top four teams. It was not a unanimous prediction that Miami would finish seventh, and the survey did not identify Van Gundy’s concerns as the voters’ reasoning.
The immediate priority is getting the frontcourt available together. Adebayo’s groin issue ruled him out of Friday’s preseason finale, without establishing his status for the Oct. 21 opener against Minnesota.
Once the regular season begins, Miami will have more useful evidence than a preseason prediction: how Adebayo’s playmaking translates beside Antetokounmpo, which shooting combinations hold up defensively and whether the new roster can turn those strengths into consistent wins.
