Window shrinks for potential max extension for Heat’s Adebayo; Jaquez honored at White House
MIAMI — While a possible Jimmy Butler offseason extension has received most of the focus this week in the wake of Miami Heat president Pat Riley questioning this past season’s lack of availability from the veteran forward, the parameters of another possible Heat extension received additional clarity this week.
With Heat center Bam Adebayo eligible for an extension of his own starting July 6, it is becoming increasingly clearer that it will not be on a supermax level.
The paths for Adebayo to qualify for such a maximum deal would have been to be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year or to make one of the three All-NBA teams.
A finalist for the defensive award, Adebayo finished third in the media vote announced Tuesday night. Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was the winner.
Later this month the league will announce the 15 players on the three All-NBA teams, which for the first time will not be position specific. Even with his status as one of the league’s top two-way big men, Adebayo is not expected to receive such a nod, in part due to the Heat’s eighth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. The voting for that award was completed before the postseason.
Had Adebayo received the defensive award or should he make All-NBA, Adebayo would be eligible for a four-year, $245 million super-max extension. Otherwise, the largest extension for Adebayo, one that would kick in starting in 2026-27, would be for three years at $165 million, a package starting with a $51.2 million salary for ’26-27.
Adebayo in October bypassed a deadline at that time for a two-year, $97 million extension, one that also would have started in 2026-27.
In bypassing that extension, Adebayo said at the time, “Obviously you have the risk, the unknown, but at the end of the day, you’re trying to figure out what’s best for you.”
Adebayo said at the time he appreciated the waiting game was a calculated risk.
“Me, my agent, my family have talked about everything behind the scenes of an extension and all that,” he said.
Adebayo in November 2020 agreed to a five-year, $163 million extension, the contract he currently has in place, one that pays $34 million next season and $37 million in 2025-26. Adebayo is scheduled to be the Heat’s second-highest-paid player next season, behind only the $48.8 million of Butler.
Adebayo would be 29 at the start of an extension.
Unlike with Butler, Riley appears willing to move forward sooner rather than later with an Adebayo extension, but while also with heightened expectations.
“Bam has to look at his game and sit with Coach, and how can you get better, and expand his game?” Riley said of the offseason with Adebayo and Erik Spoelstra.
Jaquez honored
Among those invited to the White House for this week’s Cinco de Mayo celebration was Heat rookie guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., whose father’s family is from Mexico.
Jaquez spent time with President Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, offering brief comments at the event that also included Mexican actor Cristo Fernandez, who plays Danny Rojas in Apple TVs Ted Lasso
“I stand here before you on the shoulders of giants,” Jaquez, 23, said in his prepared remarks. “There are generations of proud and incredibly accomplished Mexican Americans that came before me. I am proud to continue their legacy and continue to push the traditions of Mexican Americans that make the spirit of our people so great. A tradition and spirit that is principled on hard work, a strong moral code and the importance of family. Thank you, President Biden and the administration for celebrating our community and all our contributions here today.”
President Biden noted the size difference with his 6-foot-6 guest.
“Jaime thanks for the introduction pal, I’ve always looked up to you,” Biden said. “As you said, you stand on the shoulders of those who came before you. Future generations will stand on your 6-foot-6 shoulders.”
Jaquez played for the Mexican National Team at the 2019 Pan American Games, but said at last week’s Heat exit interviews at Kaseya Center that he likely would bypass representing Mexico at this summer’s qualifying event for the Paris Olympics.