The Miami Heat are planning to be major players in the free-agency market of the 2021 offseason, but they’re also going to have to make a decision on one of their young stars as well.
All-Star Bam Adebayo is set to become a restricted free agent in 2021, and many around the league are wondering if the Heat will try to lock up the blossoming star before that.
Heat team president Pat Riley recently spoke about Adebayo’s contract and admitted that things could get a “bit dicey.”
Pat Riley: “We know we have a decision to make, Bam has a decision to make, and we do with him.”
“It’s gonna be a little bit dicey for us because we want that flexibility.”
“We have to take care of our own as much as we can but we can’t give up that flexibility.” pic.twitter.com/L57oKtXcoj
— alex toledo (@tropicalblanket) October 23, 2020
As a young All-Star, Adebayo is certainly deserving of a richer contract already. In fact, he might be considered one of the biggest bargains in the entire NBA right now.
On his current deal, Adebayo will be payed just over $5 million for the upcoming season.
Last season, the University of Kentucky product averaged 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
He took his game to another level in the playoffs and led the Heat to multiple victories on their way to a berth in the 2020 NBA Finals.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how Riley and the rest of the front office manage Adebayo’s contract.
While they certainly don’t want to to sacrifice their ability to haul in a big fish or two next summer, they also want to make sure that they don’t risk losing their homegrown star.
Given Riley’s reputation, chances seem good that the Heat will end up getting the best of both worlds.
