Bam Adebayo’s status as a true star versus an elite complementary piece is back in the spotlight after former NBA point guard Jeff Teague offered a blunt critique on the Club 520 Podcast, sparking renewed debate about the Heat’s long-term offensive identity.
Teague labeled Adebayo a “good complementary piece” rather than a franchise-altering star, emphasizing that while the center remains a quality player and fringe All-Star, Miami’s lack of a consistent point guard is limiting his ability to reach his full offensive potential.
“Bam don’t really be killing. He’s just a good player. He’s not a star. He’s a good complementary piece,” Teague explained. “I think if they get Ja Morant some new blood in there that can run pick and rolls with him I think he’ll step up.”
At first, Teague’s assessment felt dismissive, but recent struggles for Adebayo and Miami’s inefficient offense have made the commentary difficult to ignore, intersecting with one of the most jarring scoring stretches of the center’s career.
Adebayo’s numbers have dipped dramatically. His six-point performance in Sunday’s 124-112 loss at Oklahoma City marked the 11th consecutive game he failed to reach 20 points, matching his longest drought from last season and reflecting ongoing offensive inconsistency.
Over that 11-game stretch, Adebayo is averaging just 11.4 points on 37.1 percent shooting, while the Heat have gone 4-7, highlighting how his offensive downturn correlates with Miami’s middling team performance and lack of sustained scoring threats.
The regression contrasts sharply with the form that earned him a three-year, $166 million extension just 18 months ago. Adebayo’s scoring had become a stabilizing pillar, complementing his elite defense, screening, and rebounding—qualities now undermined by inefficiency.
Currently, Adebayo’s 16.4 points per game marks his lowest scoring average since the 2019-20 season and represents a third consecutive year of decline. His shooting percentage of 44.6 percent is a career low, well below his 53.1 percent career average.
For a high-usage center, these numbers place him among the league’s least efficient volume shooters, underscoring the difficulty of balancing scoring expectations with defensive and playmaking responsibilities on a team lacking a dominant offensive creator.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra has consistently downplayed scoring concerns, insisting Adebayo should not be judged solely on points. While that argument held when the rest of the offense was functioning, the current slide has exposed structural weaknesses that cannot be ignored.
The Heat opened the season 14-7, with Adebayo’s diversified offensive profile playing a central role, but Miami has since gone 6-12 over its last 18 games, falling to 20-19 and hovering near the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Teague’s critique about guard play has become particularly relevant. Miami lacks a consistent downhill creator to force defensive rotations, opening space for Adebayo and creating cleaner scoring opportunities in pick-and-roll scenarios, something the current roster has struggled to provide.
Enter Ja Morant. The Heat have been linked to the Memphis Grizzlies star point guard for months, with reports suggesting Miami is exploring the possibility of including Terry Rozier’s $26.6 million expiring contract to help match Morant’s $39.4 million salary.
Morant, 26, has appeared in 18 games this season, averaging 19.0 points, 7.6 assists, and 3.2 rebounds, though his efficiency—40.1 percent from the field and 20.8 percent from three—has been uneven. He remains under contract through 2027-28, giving Miami long-term control if a trade materializes.
From a basketball perspective, Morant’s speed, rim pressure, and pick-and-roll gravity could directly address the structural issues Teague highlighted, providing Adebayo with easier touches, cleaner reads, and opportunities to reassert himself as a central offensive force.
A Morant acquisition would also create a more dynamic supporting cast for role players like Norman Powell and Tyler Herro, enabling the Heat to maximize spacing and create mismatches against elite Eastern Conference defenses, something Miami has struggled to achieve consistently.
Whether a Morant trade would elevate Adebayo back into star territory or merely confirm him as an elite complementary piece may influence the Heat’s decisions ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, shaping both short-term strategy and long-term roster construction.
Ultimately, the conversation around Adebayo reflects broader questions for Miami: Can the team surround him with the right creator to maximize his skill set, or is the franchise missing a transformational star to build around for sustained championship contention?
Jalon Dixon is a multi-platform sports journalist and content creator specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage. He blends writing, podcasting, and video analysis to deliver accessible, in-depth perspectives on basketball and beyond.
