Earlier this year, the Miami Heat turned heads across the league. The team traded Jimmy Butler in a blockbuster five-team deal and landed Andrew Wiggins and a 2025 first-round pick from the Golden State Warriors. With Butler taking his talents to San Francisco, Erik Spoelstra naturally turned to Wiggins as the new offensive anchor. Getting him to pair alongside their freshly extended rookie, Nikola Jovic, could become a game-changer. But with Tyler Herro sidelined, Miami’s offense is searching for its stride. Now, the question is: will Spoelstra shake things up once again to reignite the Heat’s spark?

Even Erik Spoelstra doesn’t seem entirely convinced about his lineup plans. A Miami Heat insider, Anthony Chiang, reported on X, quoting Spoelstra’s stance, “We’ll see what we do with the starting lineup. Niko has played well. Does that mean he’s going to start day one? I don’t know, but I like what he’s doing right now. It has nothing to do with Tyler being out.”

For the game against the Bucks, the Heat rolled out a lineup featuring Jaime Jaquez Jr., Norman Powell, Wiggins, Jovic, and Bam Adebayo. However, the experiment hit a brick wall, culminating in a 103-93 loss.

The Heat locked in their young forward Jovic with a four-year, $62.4 million contract extension only last week. To some, this indicates that the franchise believes in his long-term potential. The deal won’t officially kick in until the 2026–27 season, but as per Spotrac’s Keith Smith, Jovic will earn around $16.2 million in his first year, which is about 9.8% of the projected salary cap.

The Miami Heat snapped up Nikola Jovic 27th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, but injuries have kept him from showing that full potential three seasons later. The 22-year-old has suited up for only 107 of a possible 246 games since joining the team. With a career-high 10.7 points per game, last season suggested a turning point for him. But just as things were clicking, Nikola Jovic fractured the second metacarpal bone in his right hand in late February, cutting his season short after only 46 games. He did make it back for the playoffs, giving Miami a spark against the Cavaliers, dropping 24 points in Game 4, his best performance of the year. 

Still, with his track record of injuries, it’s no surprise Spoelstra is being cautious, keeping the lineup flexible. However, Spoelstra couldn’t help but notice the growth in his young forward. “He’s becoming more mature, more professional,” the Heat coach shared during media day.

With Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, Pelle Larsson, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Terry Rozier still sidelined by injuries and Simone Fontecchio sitting out with tightness in his lower leg, the Heat’s preseason has become a testing ground for Spoelstra. He’s clearly utilizing this period to experiment and find the best lineup combinations; however, the uncertainty surrounding Bam Adebayo keeps everyone on edge.

Early preseason struggles for Bam Adebayo

“Don’t let go of the rope. Don’t let go of it. That’s my conversation with Bam as a leader,” Heat legend Dwyane Wade told Bam Adebayo earlier this year after Jimmy Butler was traded. Bam took those words to heart, stepping up as a leader for Miami. Even in a season that wasn’t his best, he still averaged 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 combined steals and blocks. Despite high hopes, his on-court performance in the preseason games against the Bucks hasn’t unlocked the Bam we know.

There are a few reasons for Adebayo’s slow start. Allucan Heat explains that with Tyler Herro out for at least the first month, he’s being asked to take on more of the offensive load, and that added pressure could be showing. In the first two preseason games, he’s just 1-of-8 from the field and hasn’t looked fully comfortable. Part of it may be finding his groove in a new style of offense, finding his bearings alongside Norman Powell, and navigating a lineup that’s still missing key players.

Second, Bam’s offensive application falls flat this time around. Right now, he’s trying too hard to force plays into the paint or get to the free-throw line, which isn’t always sustainable. And third, it’s clear he can’t carry the entire team as the starting center for a full season, especially with so much already expected from him on defense.

The Heat might need to give him firepower by starting Kel’el Ware alongside him. Even if it’s just preseason, it’s obvious that Miami’s lofty ambitions could derail Adebayo’s plans.