Last week, the Miami Heat delivered one of the biggest trades in NBA history as they landed Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. This move instantly reshaped Miami’s outlook and gave Bam Adebayo the star teammate he had been waiting for.
Kendrick Perkins Wants Bam Adebayo To Elevate His Game Going Into the Next Season
Following the Jimmy Butler saga, the Heat’s longtime big man openly needed another elite player beside him. Now, he gets exactly that with Antetokounmpo, former NBA player and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins wants Bam Adebayo to elevate his game.
During an appearance on ESPN, Perkins urged Adebayo to elevate his offensive production instead of settling into the role he has played for years.
“The Heat organization has came out publicly time and time again and said that Bam is untouchable,” Perkins said.
“It’s time for Bam to take that leap! We know that Giannis is going to go and give you 30. Can Bam go get you 25/26 on average? The 19/20 points he’s been averaging throughout his career as a Heat player; that’s ok. But this ain’t 2006; this ain’t 2007.”
Perkins’ message matched the expectation that Miami now has, following the announcement of Adebayo as “untouchable.”
“They’re not Bam. I don’t think they are, not in my opinion,” Heat president Pat Riley said in his end-of-season press conference.
Just like that, Riley reinforced that Adebayo remains untouchable as Miami continues building around its defensive leader. Riley also backed those words with action by signing Adebayo to a three-year maximum veteran extension in 2024. The agreement is worth $160.3 Million, fully guaranteed, with an average annual salary of $53.4 Million.
That confidence makes plenty of sense, as Adebayo has become the heartbeat of the Heat through his defense, leadership, and versatility.
He can protect the rim, switch onto guards, create offense for teammates, and still produce 20-plus points on any given night.
And while Perkins feels Adebayo needs to do more, he has already shown steady growth this season. During the 2025-26 season, Adebayo posted 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 73 games.
For comparison, in 2024-25, he averaged 18.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 78 games. And he averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 71 appearances the season before.
Still, Adebayo has not consistently carried an offense through a playoff series like the league’s elite scorers. And Perkins wants the Heat’s big man to change that.
Maybe this is the reason the Heat made an aggressive move for Antetokounmpo. Across 13 seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, the 31-year-old averaged 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.
He also appeared in 84 playoff games and powered Milwaukee to the 2021 NBA title, including a memorable 50-point performance in the championship-clinching Game 6.
Antetokounmpo has also earned 10 All-Star selections while collecting two MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year honor, a Most Improved Player award, an NBA championship, and an NBA Finals MVP.
So, the Antetokounmpo-Adebayo duo can do wonders. But the Heat still needs to strengthen the supporting cast through free agency. However, the foundation is already in place.
