All-NBA announcement meaningful for Heat’s Bam Adebayo on multiple levels

MIAMI – Bam Adebayo appreciated his Tuesday moment, when he was named first-team NBA All-Defensive for the first time in his seven-year career. The goal for the Miami Heat’s center, however, is to also be recognized on nights like Wednesday, with the league unveiling its 2024 All-NBA teams ahead of the start of the Western Conference finals.

Pigeonholed to this stage of his career as a defensive specialist, Adebayo said the hope is he eventually is recognized for more than the unique defensive skill set that had been his NBA takeoff point.

“I feel like coming into the league, that’s what I was,” he said. “But obviously if you’ve checked my numbers and you’ve seen us play, you’ve seen me grown into a two-way player.

“So I don’t necessarily say pigeonholed, I just know in a lot of the biggest moments I’ve had offense, I’ve had a couple. But I know on defense, I’ve had a lot. I feel like for me, I’m really a two-way player rather than just getting  pigeonholed into, ‘He’s a great defender.’ ”

Among the reasons Adebayo was keeping an eye on Wednesday night’s All-NBA selections is such a selection triggering the opportunity for a supermax extension this summer.

For Adebayo, it is simple math; for the Heat, a bit more complex.

With an All-NBA selection, Adebayo becomes eligible for a  four-year, $245 million extension in July. Without one, his eligibility is limited to a three-year $165 million extension.

For the Heat, amid the team’s luxury-tax and salary-cap concerns, a max extension for Adebayo would begin with a $51.2 million salary for 2026-27. Otherwise, he would have a $39.1 million cap hold in place for that season.

As for the opportunity to show the diversity of his game on both ends, Adebayo said it is a matter of the team concepts flowing on both ends under coach Erik Spoelstra.

“Defense isn’t only about me,” he said. “It’s the other four guys on the court that help this thing work and navigate the way Spo wants it to, the way I want it to, the way the team wants to run.

“And we want to have fun on the other end. So I depend on my teammates a lot when it comes to the other end, feeding me the ball, getting me easy baskets, getting me in a rhythm, so then the game just becomes easier as a whole.”

As NBA awards season winds down, the league’s non-playoff focus has turned to the draft, including for Adebayo.

Adebayo, in fact, said he takes particular pride in draft prospects seeking to emulate his ability to defend at all five positions.

“Being able to be as versatile as possible is the reason why I got on the court,” he said. “So when you see kids wanting to implement that and mimic that, it’s just respect for you and what you’ve done in this league so far.”