Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo has played with a handful of different frontcourt partners already this season, and when Omer Yurtseven is back in action, he’ll be another player who may find himself in the mix.
Adebayo has shared the floor with starting power forward Caleb Martin a lot this season, and the one-time All-Star recently compared what it’s like to play with Martin and Yurtseven.
“I mean it’s not me being a different player, it’s more so adjusting to your personnel,” Adebayo told the Sun Sentinel. “I know Caleb is not going to be somebody I’m just going to throw it to in the post. But, also, spacing-wise, Caleb’s a spacer. Haywood [Highsmith] is a spacer. So I’ve got room to move around and roam in the paint.
“But Big 77 [Yurtseven], I’ve got to be aware of where I’m at, just to keep the spacing and keep us in sync, to where if he’s spacing, I’m in the paint. Or if he’s in the dunker’s [spot], I’m in the corner.”
It seems like the Heat are looking for answers at the power forward position. There has been some chatter about the possibility of Miami trading for a player to help address the concern, but nothing has materialized yet.
Martin has averaged 8.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as Miami’s starting power forward this season. He’s shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc.
The Heat do seem to be missing P.J. Tucker, who has made a major impact for the Philadelphia 76ers so far. He’s shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range this season, and the Sixers have certainly benefited from his defensive prowess as well.
It will be very interesting to see how much action Yurtseven gets when he returns from his ankle injury. The Heat could certainly use a boost.
Miami hasn’t been able to get off the ground so far this season, as the team is just 4-7 through its first 11 games. The Heat have gotten a couple of good wins, but they’ve had a tough time gaining momentum and keeping it.
Some good news is that Miami’s next two games will come against a Charlotte Hornets team that is struggling to the tune of a 3-8 record. If the Heat take care of business in those two games, they’ll move within a game of .500.
