Kendrick Perkins is already putting Bam Adebayo on notice.
After the Miami Heat opened the 2026-27 season with a 131-106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the NBA champion and ESPN analyst made it clear he wants more from Adebayo on the offensive end. Miami now turns to its next chance at a first win, a meeting with the Detroit Pistons at the Kaseya Center.
Adebayo’s line from Opening Night was solid on paper, but not enough to quiet the questions that followed. He scored 15 points on 50 percent shooting, grabbed seven rebounds, handed out four assists and picked off three steals in 31 minutes. He also went just 1-for-7 from three and posted a team-worst minus-28.
Perkins said the bar has to rise for Miami’s co-star.
“Giannis is a generational talent,” he said. “We know what he’s going to bring to the table, but when is Bam going to take the leap from being an All-Star to an All-NBA caliber player.
Averaging 18-20 points, that’s not going to cut it. You have to average 25.
It’s time for Bam to elevate his game.”
Adebayo has long carried a heavy load for the Heat, but Perkins’ point was about the next step, not the baseline. Miami needs more than steady two-way production if it wants to stay in the mix in a loaded Eastern Conference, and that starts with its top names.
The opener also served as a reminder of how much the Heat have leaned on Adebayo in recent years. In the playoffs, Miami has often had a player capable of taking over a series, but Adebayo has not yet fully filled that role. In the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, Caleb Martin came one vote short of winning the Larry Bird MVP over Butler, 5-4.
Adebayo has helped Miami win playoff games, and he has the résumé to back it up, including two trips to the NBA Finals. He also has the organization’s full trust after signing a three-year, $160.34 million contract a couple of summers ago, a deal that begins this season as the Heat push to compete for a championship.
That’s why the expectations are different now. The Heat need production to match the responsibility, and Perkins made it plain that he believes Adebayo still has another level to find.
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