The absence of Jimmy Butler has seemingly had very little impact on the Miami Heat who have relied on other stars to fill his void.
While Tyler Herro is the obvious name that comes to mind in terms of leading the Heat he revealed another star was a natural at it.
The Heat have had an up-and-down season and their recent three-game win streak ended in a 109-98 defeat to the LA Clippers who have welcomed back Kawhi Leonard.
ESPN insider Shams Charania revealed that the Heat locker room has not been greatly impacted by Butler’s seven-game suspension, and this is perhaps down to Bam Adebayo.
Adebayo is now the longest-serving Heat player in the squad having been with the side since being drafted in 2017.
The Heat drafted Adebayo with the 14th overall pick in the draft and since then he has averaged 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game during his NBA career.
This season’s numbers of 16-9-4 show his continuous improvement in a Heat jersey and this comes despite the turmoil that is going on with his close friend Butler who has been linked heavily with the Phoenix Suns.
Speaking to the media, Herro who is having a potential All-Star season, spoke of Adebayo’s great leadership qualities, saying: “We all lean on him. He has continued to carry us as a leader in the locker room and a voice.
“He has always been that for us. The last couple of weeks he has really stepped up in that regard. And just leading on the court, on both ends, being the anchor on defense and sticking with everything he is doing offensively.”
Despite the loss of Butler, the team are in great spirits according to Haywood Highsmith, so do they want their former star to return?
All eyes will be on the Miami Heat’s game with the Denver Nuggets on January 17th as it could mark the return of Butler.
The stars seven-game suspension is officially up for the Nuggets game but a return given his continued push to leave seems unlikely.
The Heat, while inconsistent, haven’t massively missed Butler on the court, and any move to bring him back could easily dampen the mood in the dressing room, something that nobody wants.
If Tyler Herro’s dream of bringing a championship to Miami is to be realised allowing Butler to leave on a trade deal seems a sensible option.
Former NBA player Theo Pinson told the Run Your Race podcast that Bradley Beal’s professionalism could be precisely what Pat Riley is looking for.
The Heat face a tough LA Lakers side who will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
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