Heat's Jimmy Butler Praises Bam Adebayo as Future Max Contract Player

Bam Adebayo showed out during Sunday's 100-89 win over the Washington Wizards, posting 27 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and a block. More importantly, he either scored or assisted on all of the team's final 25 points, providing a needed offensive burst with Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic out of the game because of injuries. 

It was that type of performance that makes Adebayo a future max contract star, according to Butler.

"That's what future max players do," he said, per Michael Lee of The Athletic. "He's definitely all of that and more. We're glad to have him. Glad he's the leader of this team."

Bam Adebayo Goes Off for 27 Points

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Adebayo has been one of the best stories of the NBA season. The 22-year-old flashed potential in his first two seasons but has put it all together this year, averaging 16.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, five assists and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 56.5 percent from the field. 

The Heat outscore opponents by 4.9 points per 100 possessions with him on the court, and are just 0.6 points per 100 possessions better than opponents when he sits, per NBA.com. He's added 3.09 wins to the Heat's season, per ESPN, ranking him 32nd in the NBA.

All of that has translated into the first of what promises to be many All-Star Games for Adebayo. 

"My mentality has been the same the whole year. Go on the court, do my thing, impact winning," he said, per Lee. "Help this team win, that's not going to change. Since All-Star, I got a few more chances. Field goals been going up. Other than that, living a simple life and keep coming to work every day with my hardhat on."

He's earned the respect of opponents in the process. 

"He's a specimen with the way he's built," Wizards star Bradley Beal said after Sunday's game. "Coach [Erik Spoelstra] has the ultimate confidence in him, his teammates do, too. He plays like a guard almost in a big's body. He's very versatile. He's a huge, huge, piece of their team. I respect him in every way."

The Heat have benefitted from Adebayo's leap and are currently 41-23, fourth in the Eastern Conference and just 1.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the third seed. If those seedings stick, the Heat will be facing a tough opponent in the first round, either the Indiana Pacers or Philadelphia 76ers, before a likely second-round matchup with the scary Milwaukee Bucks. 

But Adebayo and the Bucks are currently 5-1 against those three teams, so they'll take their chances.