If Bam Adebayo was hoping to carve out his name alongside Dwyane Wade in the Miami Heat Hall of Immortality, he might want to start prepping a Plan B — maybe a nice condo next to Udonis Haslem in the “Almost Legends” wing. Because right now? The dream is slipping away faster than Russell Westbrook’s pull-up midrange efficiency. Still, if you ask Bam, he’s not ready to settle for anything less than greatness.

“He’s the greatest player to have on a Heat jersey. When I retire, that’s how I want to feel. I want to feel like it was DWade & Bam. The two greatest to ever wear a Heat jersey,” Adebayo said while speaking to the CBSSports reporter, Ashley Nicole Moss. And cut whatever you want, but that’s not just ambition — that’s legacy talk. That’s Heat Culture 101.

But as it stands, the only thing the Miami Heat are currently leading the league in is front-office tension, overcooked trade rumors, and offseason underachievement. And the cherry on top? Pat Riley is reportedly asking for Dalton Knecht, Rui Hachimura, AND a first-round pick from the Lakers in a deal centered around Andrew Wiggins. That’s like walking into a dealership for a used Camry and getting hit with a Bugatti payment plan.

Let’s be real: the Heat has made more noise with leaked trade demands than actual player movement. And while some fans were praying for a superstar to roll through Miami like LeBron in 2010, the front office didn’t even show a real interest in Kevin Durant or LeBron James this summer. Those dreams came and went like Dion Waiters’ heat-check threes — fun while they lasted, but ultimately not sustainable.

Meanwhile, Bam Adebayo sits in the eye of the storm — the franchise anchor, the soul of the squad, the guy doing the dirty work while Heat brass debates whether they want to build now or later. It’s like Pat Riley and Nick Arison are playing NBA 2K, but one’s in “MyGM” and the other’s in “MyLeague” and neither has enough VC to agree on anything.

And while Jonathan Kuminga was considered a possible addition, Miami’s obsession with “getting full value” makes even that move feel about as likely as James Harden passing up a step-back three.

Pat Riley vs. The Clock (And Nick Arison)

This is where it gets messy. Pat Riley, the godfather of Heat Culture, is 80 years old and still wants to win now. Like, yesterday. And fair enough — the man didn’t slick his hair back for six decades to sit through a rebuild. But CEO Nick Arison seems to have other plans. He’s playing the long game — prioritizing youth, picks, and sustainable growth. Which is ambitious, unless you’ve got Bam Adebayo, a three-time All-Star in his prime, grinding away without a legit No. 1 scoring option beside him.

There’s real tension here. Not quite Shaq vs. Kobe, but definitely closer to Riley vs. Father Time. And it’s putting the franchise in limbo. Are they all in or all out? Contending or pretending? Because so far, they’ve re-signed Davion Mitchell, picked up a team option on Keshad Johnson, and watched Duncan Robinson take his shooting talents to the Detroit Pistons. Not exactly the Big Three, is it?

The Miami Heat flirted with DeMar DeRozan, which would’ve at least made Bam Adebayo feel like he wasn’t fighting the entire East by himself. But nothing materialized. Just more quotes, more theories, and more mid-range jumper metaphors from Bleacher Report giving Miami a lukewarm B-minus for their offseason moves — which is basically the NBA grading scale version of “You tried.”

To make it worse, Dan Le Batard stirred the pot by openly questioning whether Riley and Arison are even on the same page. Heat fans know that when Le Batard speaks, it’s not just barbershop talk — he’s basically the Heat’s unofficial family therapist at this point. And look — while Bam Adebayo continues to be the Heat’s heartbeat, blocking shots like it’s 2019 and setting screens harder than a Kendrick Perkins hot take, the reality is: he’s not getting younger. And he’s not getting help.

Let’s not forget: this man has dragged the Heat through wars. Bubble Finals. Injury-filled playoff runs. Postseason sweeps were so bad they looked like ESPN documentaries on trauma. Bam Adebayo isn’t just asking for a co-star — he’s asking for a little belief. A little urgency. A little respect. And the more Pat Riley holds out for unicorn trade packages that spook suitors like they just saw a zone defense, the more Bam’s shot at Dwyane Wade-like status drifts into the rearview.

Because, unlike Wade, who had Shaquille O’Neal, then Bron and Bosh, Bam is stuck with hopes and maybe next years — and that’s not a recipe for banners, that’s a recipe for 8-seed purgatory.

At the end of the day, Bam Adebayo has done everything right — from buy-in to big moments. But if Pat Riley and Nick Arison don’t pick a lane soon, we’ll be looking back at Bam’s Heat run like we do with prime Dwight Howard: full of potential, zero rings in sight. The dream ain’t dead yet, but it’s running a full-court press against the shot clock.