Kevin Garnett didn’t hold back when he sized up Bam Adebayo’s start with the Miami Heat.
The Hall of Famer went after Adebayo’s production as Miami stumbled out of the gate in its first two games, saying the center needs to bring a much bigger scoring punch alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. Garnett made it clear he wants a different level from Adebayo than what he’s seen so far.
"13 to 15 points ain’t no superstar s-," Garnett said. "I need Bam to be goddamn 25 and 12!
I need Bam to give me superstar energy. The tried and down, the cool s-, all the looking, nah.
I need all out. 13 to 15 points ain’t it. 13, 15 points ain’t no superstar s-. I need Bam to be goddamn 25 and 12!
Whose team is this? Is this your team?
Did Giannis come to Miami? Nah, this is Giannis’ team, this is Giannis’ team together... bro, nobody was showing superstar energy other than Giannis.
I’m telling you, man, it’s too cool for me. All this, all these players who cool ... nah, that cool s- ain’t it, bro.”
Miami came into the season with a lot of noise around its roster after a major offseason shakeup. Pat Riley and the front office paired Antetokounmpo with a wave of veteran additions, turning a team that finished just above .500 last season and then fell in the Play-In Tournament into one of the more talked-about squads in the Eastern Conference.
So far, though, the results have not matched the hype. The Heat have opened with losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons, and both defeats have fueled criticism of how the new-look group is fitting together.
Antetokounmpo has done his part. He has scored 35-plus points in both games. The problem is that the rest of the roster has not kept pace, and Adebayo has taken plenty of the blame.
Against Minnesota in a 25-point loss on Wednesday, Adebayo finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals while shooting 50 percent from the field. That’s a respectable night for most players, but it wasn’t enough to silence the questions surrounding him.
Friday brought an even rougher outing against Detroit. Adebayo fouled out after 23 minutes and managed just four points on 2-for-6 shooting, along with six rebounds and three assists.
The pairing of Antetokounmpo and Adebayo has been a talking point since the offseason, and those concerns have only grown through the first two games. Adebayo has never been built as a pure scorer, but after his 83-point game last season, the expectations around him have shifted. Now, he’s being treated like someone who should deliver 25 points every night, even though he has averaged 20 or more points only twice in nine seasons.
Still, his value has always come from the other end. Adebayo’s defense has made him a household name and a cornerstone for Miami.
It’s also only been two games, and the Heat have Erik Spoelstra on the sideline to sort out any frontcourt problems. Adebayo may not be able to match Antetokounmpo’s level of superstar energy, but there’s still plenty of room for him to respond.
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Heats 0-3 Start Already Has Their Backcourt In Trade Talks
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From there, the speculation naturally turns to the trade market, where names like Dejounte Murray and Kris Dunn have surfaced as possible answers. Both would address different needs and both bring their own contract considerations, but the larger point is simple: Miamis early struggles have made it clear the front office may need to explore options if it wants to reshape the backcourt before the season gets away from it. [Read more 🡒]