During a career of betting on himself, Heat’s Bam Adebayo explains he left millions on the table

NASSAU, Bahamas – For seven seasons, Bam Adebayo has made it clear he’s willing to bet on himself – bet on being an All-Star, bet on him being an Olympian, bet on himself to show the leadership needed to succeed Udonis Haslem as captain of the Miami Heat last year.

And yet, when Adebayo was given the opportunity to take the ultimate gamble, he hedged, explored the possibilities and postponed it.

Adebayo was positioned for a huge contract extension, which with a certain amount of patience could have been even bigger, and by July, Adebayo was making money.

Not that there’s anything untoward about the three-year, $166 million extension Adebayo signed.

However, if he had waited, a four-year, $229 million extension could have happened next summer.

And if he were to make the kind of breakthrough he’s still anticipating, by being named Defensive of the Year or All-NBA, there could have been many more.

Like a five-year, $346 million extension that will no longer apply next summer.

The latter deal would have been quantified as a supermax deal, one that would require the aforementioned nods of either Defensive Player of the Year or All-NBA.

“You have to be smart,” Adebayo said with a smile as the Heat continued their training camp at the Baha Mar resort on Thursday. “First, you take care of things now.”

And then another smile.

“And after two years,” Adebayo said of the extension that goes into effect for the 2026-2027 season, “I can opt out and get it.”

So yeah, still confident, even with tens of millions of dollars left on the table.

But we are also aware of who is tabulating the league’s postseason awards.

Live from #USABMNT training camp: it’s official @Bam1of1 // @MiamiHEAT pic.twitter.com/DwKPWRMKwa

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) July 6, 2024

“I know what I am and where I should be,” he said during a quiet moment away from teammates, “but those things are voted on by the media. They don’t play against me. They don’t know, and this is no offense, what it takes.”

Understand that this was not a discussion that Adebayo started.

But it was one where appreciation was expressed.

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“Look, this allows me to take care of the people around me,” he said. ‘So you don’t look at what you didn’t get. This is deserved and I am happy with it.”

Smiling on that day in July when he signed the extension in Las Vegas while training with Team USA en route to his Olympic gold in Paris.

And now smiling as he enters his second season as Heat captain, ready to make voters pay attention again to not only the defensive versatility, but also the growth in the offensive game.

“It doesn’t get any easier,” Adebayo said of his leadership role. ‘New guys come in and you have to explain to them what we stand for.

“More and more you start to realize that you are doing this for something bigger than yourself.”

So not the biggest possible contract, but enough to get him in a good place, once again captain of his ship.

“Like I said, I didn’t choose to become captain. It was a kind of UD who forced me into this role,” he said with a laugh to Haslem, who is still present at the camp. “But you understand that when you’re in the role, you see that ultimately it’s not about you.”

Adebayo averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting .521 from the field last season, named first-team All-Defensive and finished third for Defensive Player of the Year.

Now that the extension is in effect, earning those coveted NBA awards still remains a goal, even now that the awards no longer factor into salary steps.

But by putting pen to paper, you also don’t have to worry if the media would deem it supermax-worthy.

“The players have to vote,” he said. “They know.”

For the time being, a contract is in place until at least 2027-2028.

And with that, locked up in the moment and moments for years, nothing comes close to the speculation surrounding Heat teammate Jimmy Butler and his suitability for an extension.

‘It’s done. I’m happy,” Adebayo said. “And you move on.”

Consciously moving forward, once again emphasizing more than meets the eye.

“No state income tax,” Adebayo said of his Florida residence and workplace. “So when you look at it, it’s like you’re doing the best you can when you get past the taxes.”