ASK IRA: Is moving forward with Adebayo at center a case of the Heat failing both Bam and themselves?

Q: Bam Adebayo is an incredibly talented  player.  But with the Heat having to probably go through one or a few of these teams in the future:  Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Boston, 76ers, Knicks, Milwaukee and a few others to get the chip, is having Bam Adebayo at center a flaw design? Boston, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Denver all play big and have talented bigs. – Stuart.

A: This has come up often amid the course of the playoffs and the answer remains the same: If the Heat can add a big man who is a better fit than Bam Adebayo at center, they assuredly would move in that direction. But wanting something and getting someone are two different things. Yes, the Celtics got Kristaps Porzingis and that arguably is one that got away (even as Boston wins in his absence). But I doubt most Heat followers would have been willing to give up for Rudy Gobert what the Timberwolves gave up. And Deandre Ayton hardly was a big man in demand when he was dealt. As for the draft, Victor Wembanyama was an exception. Now, if you want someone along the lines of Clint Capela and are willing to take on his salary, that could be doable. So, as with all players of all sizes, it’s a matter of the right big man as opposed to any big man.

Q: Are Heat fans not being patient enough? I’ve seen some Heat fans want to see a tear down and rebuild, which isn’t going to happen. But when building with young players, you have to be patient. Running it back is what you do with young teams as they improve. The Heat have two rotation pieces in Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic that will improve. Tyler Herro at 24 can still improve. They’ll be adding another rookie at No. 15 in the draft. Heat fans aren’t going to want to hear this, but running it back may be the best and most responsible option if a trade for a superstar isn’t a possibility. – Dave, Placenta, Calif.

A: No, they probably don’t want to hear that. While championship contention is expressed as the ultimate goal, this also is entertainment. And sometimes that means freshening the product before it is perceived as growing stale. That puts the Heat at a curious crossroads at the moment. When you get down to it, the lone “older” element in the starting lineup is Jimmy Butler, who will be 35 next season. But the question is that if Jimmy missed 22 games at 34, how many does he miss at 35?

Q: Nikola Jovic did bulk up from year one to year two.  Can he do it again before year three? – Gary, Boca Raton.

A: That becomes a question of whether he wants to or whether the Heat want him to. Adding weight can result in a loss of agility. You have to be careful with such body shaping. As it is, Nikola Jovic plays mostly as a wing, so I’m not sure the desire there is to be able to flex in front of a mirror.